Special Circumstances Court Diversion Program
Magistrates Court - criminal
The Special Circumstances Court Diversion Program (SCCDP) targets two main groups of offenders in the early stages of the criminal justice process:
- those who have impaired decision-making capacity as a result of:
- mental illness
- intellectual disability
- cognitive impairment
- brain and neurological disorders
- those who are homeless, or at risk of being homeless.
Categories of offences committed by defendants coming before SCCDP include:
- drug
- theft
- property damage
- other public order offences.
The objective of the program is to provide bail and sentencing options which place offenders with support services that help them to deal with the cause(s) of their behaviour.
Defendants are assessed by court liaison officers and then referred, supported and monitored while issues contributing to offending behaviour such as accommodation, health, and drug and alcohol dependence are addressed.
The SCCDP is an initiative of the Brisbane Magistrates Court and is funded by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. It is part of the Queensland Government’s integrated response to homelessness and has been funded until 2012.