NCJ Number
127202
Date Published
1991
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Data from 47,000 felony case filings in February 1988 in the 75 most populous counties in the United States were used to examine pretrial release practices and case outcomes in these jurisdictions.
Abstract
Each case was followed for 12 months. About two-thirds of the felony defendants were released prior to the disposition of their case. About 18 percent of the released defendants were known to have been rearrested for a felony while on pretrial release. About two-thirds of the rearrested defendants were released again after their rearrest. Eight of nine defendants who were not released had a bail amount set but did not post the required bond. The remaining detained felony defendants amounted to 4 percent of all felony defendants and were held without bail. Release prior to trial occurred for 72 percent of defendants charged with drug law offenses, 70 percent of those charged with public-order offenses, 62 percent of those charged with property offenses, and 59 percent of those charged with violent offenses. Two-thirds of those with prior misdemeanor convictions and half of those with at least one prior felony conviction were released. Thirty percent of those with 5 or more prior convictions and 15 percent of those with no prior convictions were rearrested for a felony while on pretrial release. The median number of days from arrest to case disposition was 122 days for released defendants and 37 days for detained defendants. Sixty-six percent of the defendants detained until case disposition and 33 percent of those who were released were eventually convicted and sentenced to incarceration. Tables