In some situations, people placed in diversion programs are believed to be the ones most likely to have otherwise been dismissed after a brief hearing with a warning or small fine. Critics refer to this as:

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Widening the net refers to the idea that diversion programs are used to capture more people in the criminal justice system than would have been caught otherwise. In other words, instead of letting someone off with a warning or small fine, they are put into a diversion program, which keeps them in the system and potentially leads to more serious consequences if they fail to complete the program.

In Some Situations, People Placed in Diversion Programs Are Believed