This seminar explored the defendant and offence characteristics that influence court diversion outcomes and the impact of the individual magistrate deciding upon a case. The findings come from a series of studies from Dr. Christel Macdonald's PhD study. These studies included a magistrate survey and an analysis of the treatment plans and reports written by clinicians and provided to the NSW Local Court.

About this speaker: Dr Christel Macdonald completed her PhD in March 2024 at NDARC. Her thesis explored factors related to court diversion for offenders with a mental illness or cognitive impairment. Christel has worked in research in the drug and alcohol space at the National Drug and Alcohol Centre (NDARC) since 2019, with a particular focus on treatment and intervention for people coming into contact with the criminal justice system.