NCJ Number
182312
Date Published
1998
Length
16 pages
Annotation
A meeting held in August 1998 brought together 22 criminal justice professionals to examine specific problems that affect primary decision making regarding the pretrial release or detention of arrestees and to suggest ways that Federal agencies might help local and State justice systems address these problems.
Abstract
The Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute of Corrections brought together judges, prosecutors, public defenders, police, pretrial program administrators, and others for an informal discussion lasting a day. The meeting lacked time to develop specific recommendations for various Department of Justice offices. Nevertheless, the participants identified five general areas needing Federal assistance. These included improving the quality of information available to decision makers, as well as improving and expanding training for decision makers. Additional areas included defining and cataloguing appropriate options for decision makers based on fairness to the defendant and public safety for the community, defining and clarifying terms relevant to the primary decisions, and developing standards and principles governing the decisions. List of participants