Pretrial Release and Misconduct in Federal District Courts, Fiscal Years 2011–2018

• NCJ Number: 252837
• Date Published: March 2022
• Author(s): George E. Browne, BJS Statistician; Suzanne M. Strong, Former BJS Statistician
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Series: BJS Special Reports
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Type: Statistics; Publication

Abstract

This report presents data on defendants who were released or detained pretrial by federal district courts, including the type of release or detention and whether defendants were returned to custody for misconduct during their release. Records were included for defendants whose cases were disposed by federal district courts during the 8-year aggregated period of fiscal years 2011 to 2018. The report examines defendant characteristics, the method by which defendants were released, differences in pretrial releases by the defendant’s offense and criminal history, and differences in misconduct by the defendant’s criminal history and type of release.

Highlights:

During the aggregated period of fiscal years 2011–18—

• Thirty-two percent of defendants whose cases were disposed in federal district courts were released before trial.
• Twenty-two percent of defendants were released at their initial court appearance, while 10% were released at a later hearing, such as a detention or bond hearing.
• Seventy-six percent of defendants released were released without financial conditions, including release on personal recognizance or on an unsecured bond.
• Seventy-nine percent of defendants released pretrial had conditions on their release, such as travel restrictions, substance abuse treatment requirements, weapons restrictions, and employment requirements.