EBS STAFF
Gallatin County will begin offering adult criminal defendants an alternative to traditional criminal sentencing through an assessment and intervention program.
The Pretrial Intervention Via Opportunities Treatment (PIVOT) program was developed by the Gallatin County Attorney’s Office and Gallatin County Court Services, according to an Oct. 16 press release from Gallatin County. PIVOT will allow defendants to avoid prosecution if they meet the program standards.
“We’ve consistently emphasized restorative justice, which holds offenders accountable, repairs the harm done to victims, reduces repeat offenses, and enhances public safety,” Steve Ette, director of Gallatin County Court Services, stated in the release. The program will use an evidence-based needs assessment to identify “underlying factors contributing to criminal behavior.”
Prosecutors, defense attorneys and court service officers will assess the defendant when they are referred to the program.
Based on the assessment, a court services officer will develop a customized plan for the defendant to address accountability, victim restoration, the defendant’s barriers to health, and connect the defendant to services offered in the community.
“By using evidence-based assessments, officers can evaluate an individual’s criminogenic risks—such as attitudes, beliefs, and thinking patterns—along with their needs, including employment, housing, substance abuse treatment, or mental health care,” Ette continued. “This helps officers motivate offenders to develop personalized plans to address these issues while ensuring compliance.”
Eligible participants are first-time felony and misdemeanor defendants who have identifiable treatment that can be managed within the county. Those with prior convictions, or have been charged with felony sexual or violent crimes and DUIs are ineligible.
Eligible participants can be diverted to the program before charges are filed, or be offered a deferred prosecution agreement by the prosecutor, according to the release. “PIVOT emphasizes both rehabilitation and accountability, encouraging defendants to take responsibility, make amends to victims, and engage in meaningful change,” the release stated.
Ette also said that the program costs would be outweighed by the reduction of court caseloads and using less criminal justice resources for lower-risk offenders.
