ESTABLISHED IN 1975, THE SHELBY COUNTY PRETRIAL DIVERSION PROGRAM IS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF THE COUNTY ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE AND THE COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT. THE PROGRAM SERVES FELONY DEFENDANTS WITH LIMITED PRIOR RECORDS WHO ARE CHARGED WITH NONVIOLENT PROPERTY CRIMES. THE EVALUATION IS BASED ON THE PROGRAM'S FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION, AND EMPLOYS A QUASIEXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN, IN WHICH THE EXPERIENCES OF ALL 275 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE COMPARED TO THOSE OF A CONTROL GROUP OF PROGRAM-ELIGIBLES SELECTED FROM COURT RECORDS. RECIDIVISM ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT DIVERTED DEFENDANTS ARE LESS LIKELY THAN CONTROLS TO BE REARRESTED, TO HAVE MULTIPLE REARRESTS, TO BE REARRESTED FOR A FELONY, AND TO BE CONVICTED. THE PROGRAM DID NOT RESULT IN A FIRST-YEAR COST SAVINGS, DUE TO STARTUP COSTS AND LOW CASELOADS. HOWEVER, CALCULATION OF LONGTERM SAVINGS INDICATES THAT THE PROGRAM IS COST-EFFECTIVE, AND THAT IT WILL ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS. THE EVALUATION REPORT INCLUDES DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM'S HISTORY AND OPERATION, AND OF EVALUATION METHODS, FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. A SEPARATE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS ALSO AVAILABLE; FOR A DESCRIPTION, SEE NCJ-68674.