AB 1351: Deferred entry of judgment: pretrial diversion.

Existing law allows individuals charged with specified crimes to qualify for deferred entry of judgment. A defendant qualifies if he or she has no conviction for any offense involving controlled substances, the charged offense did not involve violence, there is no evidence of a violation relating to narcotics or restricted dangerous drugs other than a violation that qualifies for the program, the defendants record does not indicate that probation or parole has ever been revoked without being completed, and the defendants record does not indicate that he or she has been granted diversion, deferred entry of judgment, or was convicted of a felony within 5 years prior to the alleged commission of the charged offense.

Under the existing deferred entry of judgment program, an eligible defendant may have entry of judgment deferred, upon pleading guilty to the offenses charged and entering a drug treatment program for 18 months to 3 years. If the defendant does not perform satisfactorily in the program, does not benefit from the program, is convicted of specified crimes, or engages in criminal activity rendering him or her unsuitable for deferred entry of judgment, the defendants guilty plea is entered and the court enters judgment and proceeds to schedule a sentencing hearing. If the defendant completes the program, the criminal charges are dismissed. Existing law allows the presiding judge of the superior court, with the district attorney and public defender, to establish a pretrial diversion drug program.

This bill would make the deferred entry of judgment program a pretrial diversion program. The bill would provide that a defendant qualifies for the pretrial diversion program if he or she has no prior conviction within 5 years prior to the alleged commission of the charged offense for any offense involving controlled substances other than the offense that qualifies him or her for diversion, the charged offense did not involve violence, there is no evidence of a violation relating to narcotics or restricted dangerous drugs other than a violation that qualifies for the program and the defendant has no prior conviction for a serious or violent felony within 5 years prior to the alleged commission of the charged offense.

Under the pretrial diversion program created by this bill, a qualifying defendant would enter a not guilty plea, and proceedings would be suspended in order for the defendant to enter a drug treatment program for 6 months to one year, or longer if requested by the defendant with good cause. The bill would require the court, if the defendant does not perform satisfactorily in the program or is convicted of specified crimes, to terminate the program and reinstate the criminal proceedings. The bill would require the criminal charges to be dismissed if the defendant completes the program.