Valdosta State University’s Criminal Justice Outreach Program will present Diversion Programs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 30, in Student Union Ballroom A. The Criminal Justice Seminar Series event is open to the public.
 
Ann Kasun, the deputy clerk of Valdosta Municipal Court, will discuss the benefits and challenges of diversion programs, which is a form of sentencing that directs the offender to a rehabilitation program instead of jail. She will also discuss specialized programs for offenders with mental illnesses or substance abuse issues.
 
Dr. Sha Wilfred, a professor in VSU’s Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, will discuss restorative justice programs, which focus on repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior by encouraging facilitated meetings between the offender and the victim. She will also discuss the differences between typical diversion programs and restorative justice programs.
 
Participants can register online at https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts-sciences/sacj/criminal-justice/cjs-series.php. Advance registration is $300 for general admission, $150 for VSU alumni, and $75 for current VSU students, faculty, or staff. Employees from any Lowndes County criminal justice agency can register for a discounted fee of $225. Onsite registration will be available for an additional fee of $50. Registration includes continuing education unit credits or continuing legal education credits, breakfast, lunch, and snacks.