A new initiative in Ithaca is ready to tackle racial disparities in the criminal justice system. It's called the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion initiative.
It allows officers to redirect those who have engaged in misdemeanor crimes to community-based services rather than incarceration.
The end goal is to improve public health and safety by ensuring those committing crimes related to poverty, addiction, and mental health receive the care they need.
City leaders say the program has shown to improve racial equity, reduce crime and workload for police in other cities.