NCJ Number
158516
Date Published
1981
Length
115 pages
Annotation
Testimony on S. 2705 examines the operations of 10 demonstration pretrial service agencies and legislation to provide pretrial services in all Federal district courts.
Abstract
The legislation being considered would require that the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, under the supervision and direction of the Judicial Conference of the United States, provide for the establishment of a pretrial service agency in each judicial district, other than the District of Columbia. The legislation also mandates the organization and administration of pretrial service agencies. The Hon. Gerald Tjoflat from the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the chairman of the Committee on Administration of the Probation System testifies about the operations of the 10 demonstration programs. He notes that the judges, magistrates, prosecutors, defense counsel, probation officers, and others connected with the pretrial service agencies have a majority view that the pretrial service agencies have afforded judicial officers a greater factual basis upon which to make an informed bail determination. They believe there has been a reduction in the incidence of pretrial crime and in the failure of offenders to appear for hearings and trial. Testimony by a panel of pretrial experts, a panel of U.S. attorneys, and a panel of chief pretrial service officers also generally favors the value of pretrial service agencies and the bill's mandate to expand them to all judicial districts. Appended copy of the bill and supplementary reports and letters