NCJ Number
132069
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 55 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 54-62
Date Published
1991
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Following a brief history and definition of pretrial services, this article assesses current pretrial programs and considers their future.
Abstract
For the purposes of this article, pretrial services refer to those practices and programs that screen arrestees held after arrest to provide the bail-setting magistrate with concise summaries of arrestees' personal backgrounds as they relate to bail. The programs might also offer additional services such as pretrial supervision and notification and other ancillary services. Data from pretrial program surveys show the steady growth in the size and funding of pretrial programs in 10 years. Activities of a "good" pretrial program are the identification of persons at high risk for failure-to-appear and rearrest, supervision, management, and supplemental services. Identification involves interviews with all arrestees eligible for bail and a submission of interview results and recommendations to the judicial officer. The supervision of pretrial releasees involves the monitoring of releasees' behavior, notification of future court dates, monitoring of detainees' status, the provision of appropriate assistance to releasees, and the location of defendants who fail to appear at court proceedings while on release. Management involves the use of a management information system that collects and analyzes data on each client. Supplemental services can include classification assistance, diversion, indigency determination, and presentence investigations. For the future, pretrial services will continue to expand, both in the number of programs and the services offered. 20 notes