Explain the purpose of pretrial diversion.?

Answer 1

To keep a criminal conviction off your record.

Basically, you admit that you did it, and the judge says "OK, I'm going to find you guilty, but I'm not going to record that judgment for 90 days, as long as you do x, y and z."

If, at the end of the 90 days, or whatever period, you've done x, y and z (Say, paid a fine, done so many hours of community service, and paid restitution to the victim) and not gotten into any more trouble, then the judge tosses the judgment in the trashcan, and it never happened.

Richard