Focus Groups for Seattle's "Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion Program"
LEAD is a four-year pilot program, funded by private foundations, that offers hand-picked low-level drug offenders in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood an individualized alternative to arrest, from inpatient drug treatment and educational opportunities to housing assistance and microloans for would-be business owners.
One critical aspect to LEAD's success is a strong partnership with Seattle Police Department (SPD) and the Belltown business and neighborhood community. To this end, focus groups with SPD and Belltown business owners were used to uncover opportunities to build trust between organizations and test potential strategies so that LEAD staff, business owners and SPD could work together effectively over the life of the pilot.
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