POLICYMAKERS' VIEWS REGARDING ISSUES IN THE OPERATION AND EVALUATION OF PRETRIAL RELEASE AND DIVERSION PROGRAMS FINDINGS FROM A QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY

• NCJ Number: 30901
• Author(s): R V STOVER; J A MARTIN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 150 pages
• Grant Number(s): SSH73-07900 A03
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: National Ctr for State Courts
• Sale Source: National Ctr for State Courts
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THIS PAPER PROVIDES SYSTEMATIC INFORMATION ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF AGREEMENT AND DISAGREEMENT AMONG CRIMINAL JUSTICE OFFICIALS REGARDING THE GOALS OF PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF AN EVALUATION OF RESEARCH ON THE OPERATION OF PRETRIAL RELEASE SYSTEMS IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING STUDIES OF THE MONEY BAIL SYSTEM AS WELL AS ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS. THE CENTRAL PURPOSE OF THE REPORT IS TO PROVIDE POLICYMAKERS AND RESEARCHERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY AREA, A REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF THE RESEARCH LITERATURE DEALING WITH PRETRIAL RELEASE, A SUMMARY OF THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD, AND SOME SUGGESTIONS REGARDING POSSIBLE DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. IN CONDUCTING THE STUDY, APPROXIMATELY 300 REFERENCES TO BAIL, PRETRIAL RELEASE, AND RELATED TOPICS WERE LOCATED, AND COPIES OF MORE THAN 200 DOCUMENTS WERE OBTAINED AND SCREENED BY THE PROJECT STAFF. THIS VOLUME (NCJ-30301) DISCUSSES OVER FORTY OF THESE DOCUMENTS-INCLUDING VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EMPIRICAL STUDIES IN THE FIELD PUBLISHED AS OF MID-1974. IT ALSO INCLUDES AN OUTLINE OF THE ELEMENTS OF A MODEL DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM AND EVALUATION DESIGN FOR PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS (APPENDIX A), AND A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IN THE PRETRIAL RELEASE FIELD (APPENDIX B). IN ORDER TO HELP IDENTIFY KEY ISSUES IN THE PRETRIAL FIELD (AND THEREBY AID IN ASSESSING THE POLICY UTILITY OF THE STUDIES AND SYNTHESIZING THE EVIDENCE ACCUMULATED TO DATE), A QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED AMONG POLICYMAKERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD. RESPONDENTS TO THE SURVEY INCLUDED PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAM DIRECTORS, JUDGES, COUNTY EXECUTIVES, DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, PUBLIC DEFENDERS, SHERIFFS, AND POLICE CHIEFS. THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY ARE REPORTED IN A SEPARATE VOLUME (NCJ-30903) (APPENDIX C), AND HAVE BEEN USED TO HELP PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR ORGANIZING THE DISCUSSION OF THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) (SNI ABSTRACT)