UNIFIED PRETRIAL SERVICES PROJECT - FINAL EVALUATION REPORT, 1978

• NCJ Number: 51241
• Author(s): R A WILSON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 197 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Pennsylvania Governor's Justice Cmssn
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

BAIL AND PRETRIAL SERVICES BASED ON THE VERA INSTITUTE MODEL FOR BAIL REFORM PROGRAMS ARE EVALUATED, AND A NEW MODEL, USED IN PHILADELPHIA (PENN.) AS A REPLACEMENT TO THE VERA-BASED MODEL, IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE FIRST BAIL REFORM PROGRAM OF IMPORTANCE WAS DEVELOPED IN NEW YORK CITY BY THE VERA INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE IN 1961 AND FOCUSED ON LOW-INCOME DEFENDANTS. ITS GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE PREARRAIGNMENT INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINE WHETHER DEFENDANTS COULD BE SUCCESSFULLY RELEASED PENDING TRIAL. ITS MAJOR INNOVATIONS WERE RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE, A POINT SYSTEM FOR WEIGHING FACTORS FAVORING THE DEFENDANT'S RELEASE, AND A SYSTEM OF NOTIFICATION REGARDING COURT APPEARANCE. IN THE 1960'S AND 1970'S, THE BAIL REFORM MOVEMENTS STEMMING FROM THE VERA MODEL FORCED REEXAMINATION OF BAIL. MANAGEMENT INFORMATION INDICATORS AND PRIORITIES FOR JUDGING PRETRIAL RELEASE SUCCESS ARE DESCRIBED, ALONG WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DECISION TO RELEASE A DEFENDANT. A CLASSIFICATION AND ANALYSIS TOOL AND A GUIDE NUMBER SYSTEM FOR OBJECTIVELY AND COMPARATIVELY DETERMINING THE RATE OF FAILURE TO APPEAR IN COURT (FTA) ARE PRESENTED, AND A METHOD OF DEVELOPING CRITERIA FOR RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE IS ALSO DESCRIBED. FOUR CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS INCLUDE FAILURE TO APPEAR, SLOW RETURN TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, REARREST ON THE SAME CHARGE DURING THE PRETRIAL PERIOD, OR REARREST ON A DIFFERENT CHARGE DURING THIS PERIOD. CRITERIA USED IN THE VERA INSTITUTE STUDY ON BAIL RISK ARE EVALUATED AND MODIFIED. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE VERA CRITERIA IGNORED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEFENDANT'S POSITION IN THE LIFE CYCLE AS A FACTOR FOR PRETRIAL RELEASE SUCCESS. A FINAL MODEL IS PRESENTED AS IT WAS USED IN THE PHILADELPHIA PRETRIAL SERVICES DIVISION FOR MAKING RELEASE RECOMMENDATIONS. IT WAS TESTED IN SELECTING 575 DEFENDANTS FOR PRETRIAL RELEASE. OUT OF THIS POPULATION, 91 PERSONS FAILED TO APPEAR IN COURT. THE MODEL EMPLOYS A NEW POINT SYSTEM WHICH CAN BE APPLIED TO THE TOTAL ARRESTED POPULATION, ENABLES THE BAIL AGENCY TO ADJUST THE RELEASE LEVELS ACCORDING TO POLICY DECISIONS, REQUIRES LESS BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE BAIL DECISION, AND CAN BE SYSTEMATICALLY EVALUATED. THE NEW POINT SYSTEM IS REPRODUCED ALONG WITH STUDY DATA, AND BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)