"My own father, who is an elected official in Kern County, assaulted my siblings and myself and was granted mental health diversion. My bill will ensure that those who commit violent crimes, such as attempted murder of a child, assault resulting in death and domestic violence, are no longer eligible for a mental health diversion program."
"Faced with inexplicable trauma, my courageous children bravely and honorably shared the truth of their abuse. We tell our children to speak up, speak up for yourselves, tell the truth, be honest. My children were and they did. Their answer to their plea, their cry for help, was a stark reality of a broken system under mental health diversion."
A California lawmaker's son publicly criticized the state's mental health diversion law after his father avoided incarceration for child abuse charges. Zack Scrivner, a Kern County elected official, was accused of inappropriately touching his pre-teen daughter but entered a mental health diversion program instead of facing child sexual assault charges due to drug influence at the time. His son Robert and estranged wife Christina spoke at a press conference supporting Senate Bill 1373, which would restrict mental health diversion eligibility for violent crimes including attempted murder, assault resulting in death, and domestic violence. The family described the current system as broken and ineffective in protecting abuse victims.
#mental-health-diversion-law #child-abuse #criminal-justice-reform #legislative-action #victim-advocacy
Read at California Post
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