Restorative Justice

The cycle of recidivism in Lake County must be broken. Restorative justice works to serve the needs of the people while also reducing crime in the future. This includes expanding the use of treatment courts and our alternative prosecution program (APP). Using alternatives to incarceration is a rehabilitation strategy for the long-term reduction of crime.

For ease of reference, below is the estimated racial distribution of Lake County's population.

Felony Alternative Prosecution Program (APP)

Felony APP works with low risk offenders charged with felony offenses. The programs divert a defendant from the traditional course of prosecution if the defendant has accepted responsibility and agreed to improve themselves. The offender is required to maintain contact with the LCSAO and the courts. Participants that complete the program are “successful” and those who do not complete the program are “unsuccessful”. Felony APP has a successful completion rate of 93%.

In 2021, for the first time, most Felony APP participants were people of color.