AIKEN, S.C. — Aiken City Council on Oct. 12 walked through a proposal that would create a specialized diversion docket here in 2027 for people without housing who pick up low-level municipal charges.
Deputy public defender Nick McCarley of the 2nd Judicial Circuit told all seven council members at a work session that several other South Carolina cities — including Columbia, Greenville and Rock Hill — already operate Supreme Court-approved models. He said Aiken’s version would focus on unsheltered defendants facing non-violent petty offenses.
Judicial Branch program notes say these dockets are free and voluntary, link defendants to housing, jobs and counseling, and aim to clear minor cases with little lasting mark on a person’s record.
City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said early planning has pulled in municipal public safety, the local defender’s office, city court officials and circuit prosecutors. He estimated staffing near $50,000 to $60,000 a year and expects a formal resolution as soon as the Oct. 26 meeting, after which the package would go to the chief justice for approval.
Public Safety Chief Charles Barranco backed the concept for city court matters only, warned it will not erase homelessness on its own, and said participants would get a single opportunity to finish the program.
