Philadelphia diversion program shows strong success rates, DA says

Philadelphia’s diversion program for people charged with low-level crimes is showing strong results, according to new data shared exclusively with NBC10.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and his team say the Accelerated Misdemeanor Program, or AMP, is helping participants avoid convictions while reducing repeat offenses.

“It’s about renewal. It’s about change. And it works,” Krasner said.

First introduced in 2010, AMP is a two-tiered diversion program designed for low-level misdemeanors such as trespassing, theft, unlawful liquor sales, sex work and drug offenses. Participants must complete requirements like community service or treatment programs to avoid a criminal conviction.

Krasner said the program’s completion rate is nearly universal.

“One of the great things about AMP is the completion rate is close to 100%. It’s 97 to 98%,” he said.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, 1,784 people successfully completed the program over the past three years — about 97% of participants — while just 59 people, or roughly 3%, did not.

Alexei Taylor, a senior data analyst with the office, said AMP has handled nearly half of certain low-level drug-related cases in that time.

“Over the last three years, AMP has been handling nearly 50% of these drug-related, low-level misdemeanors,” Taylor said.

The data also shows relatively low re-arrest rates. Officials say only about 5% to 9% of those who completed the program were arrested again within one year.

“It’s only about 5-9% who have another arrest,” Krasner said. “Compared to all kinds of other programs, compared to convictions, in Philadelphia that is a very, very positive outcome.”

Still, Krasner acknowledged the data has limitations, particularly due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“And those are good questions and those are questions that we are going to want to answer as we move forward,” Krasner said when asked about longer-term outcomes. “The thing that’s complicated, though, is that the pandemic was such a disaster for so many of these programs … shut down AMP that we have a limited time period to look at.”

The report also highlights disparities among participants, especially for those experiencing homelessness. About 46% of unhoused individuals were rejected from the program, compared to 27% of those with housing. Only 16% of unhoused participants successfully completed it.

“I also see that we have to do better by unhoused people,” Krasner said. “They are desperately in need of some of the support here. But we have to come up with a way that they can get that support.”

Krasner said the program ultimately focuses on accountability while improving public safety.

“The truth is when you meet people where they are, when you provide for the basic needs, you get less crime,” he said. “That’s true not just here, but throughout the United States and throughout the world.”

Officials say the goal is to offer second chances while making Philadelphia safer for everyone.