The Choice Is Yours, a diversionary program for first-time, non-violent drug offenders that saw great success in Philadelphia, has now expanded to Montgomery County, writes Vinny Vella for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The program allows offenders to avoid jail time by performing community service and going through job training.

The initiative is a collaboration between the county’s District Attorney’s Office and public defenders. The goal is to avoid taking a one-size-fits-all approach to cases and instead create a policy that benefits the community while not undermining the criminal justice system.

One of the program’s first graduates, 22-year-old Trey Womack, was charged with a felony for selling marijuana at Ursinus College. He was expelled from college and faced jail. The Choice Is Yours helped him avoid time behind bars and expunge his record.

As part of the program, Womack set through sessions with other people arrested for similar crimes. Together, they learned about the effects of trauma and better ways of dealing with challenges.

“I didn’t feel judged for the mistakes I had made,” said Womack. “I felt pushed to grow as an individual, to focus on what I needed and wanted.”

Read more about The Choice Is Yours Program in The Philadelphia Inquirer.