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{{Template:Legal Help Guide TOC}}Police forces and Crown prosecutors sometimes choose to deal with <span class="noglossary">minor</span> criminal charges and first-time offenders outside of the court system through ''diversion'' or ''restorative <span class="noglossary">justice</span>''. Diversion is a program of community supervision by a probation office. If you In restorative justice, offenders are accepted into diversionencouraged to take responsibility for their actions, and victims take an active role in the process. The range of options includes in a diversion program or through restorative justice include making an apology to the victim, doing community service, and taking part in counselling programs.
If you are charged with a criminal offence, you may <span class="noglossary">contact</span> the office of Crown Counsel (the government prosecutor) and ask to be considered for diversion or alternative measures. In some cases, Crown Counsel may <span class="noglossary">offer</span> you these sorts of programs to you even if you don't apply. You <span class="noglossary">will</span> be referred to a local or regional service — often a probation office — which <span class="noglossary">will</span> supervise the alternative measures. The measures <span class="noglossary">will</span> be similar to those under diversion or restorative <span class="noglossary">justice</span>.