PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS - NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM PHASE 1 REPORT

• NCJ Number: 39022
• Author(s): V CASHMAN; R DAVIS; J GAYTON; R HANSON; J MARTIN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 99 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Ctr for State Courts
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM

Annotation

THIS REPORT INCORPORATES PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM A STRUCTURED TELEPHONE INTERVIEW SURVEY OF 110 PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS AND SITE VISITS TO TEN JURISDICTIONS IN WHICH SUCH PROGRAMS ARE OPERATING.

Abstract

IT SUMMARIZES WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING HOW MANY THERE ARE, WHAT GOALS THEY HAVE, WHAT FUNCTIONS THEY PERFORM, WHAT PATTERNS OF FUNDING AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THEY HAVE DEVELOPED, WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS, AND WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW BUT SHOULD TRY TO FIND OUT. EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THOSE PROGRAMS WHOSE PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO FACILITATE THE RELEASE OF DEFENDANTS PRIOR TO TRIAL ON A NONFINANCIAL BASIS. THE OPERATING ASSUMPTIONS FOUND TO BE SHARED BY ALMOST ALL PROGRAMS INCLUDE ASSURING COURT APPEARANCES, LESSENING INEQUALITIES IN THE TREATMENT OF RICH AND POOR, MINIMIZING THE TIME BETWEEN ARREST AND RELEASE FOR ELIGIBLE DEFENDANTS, AND PRODUCING COST SAVINGS TO THE PUBLIC. PROGRAM RESOURCES WERE TYPICALLY ALLOCATED TO FIVE BASIC FUNCTIONS - INTERVIEWING, VERIFICATION, SCREENING FOR RELEASE ELIGIBILITY, PREPARING AND SUBMITTING INFORMATION AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COURT, AND MAINTAINING FOLLOW-UP CONTACT WITH RELEASED DEFENDANTS. PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT WAS GENERALLY ASSESSED BASED UPON RELEASE RATES, SPEED OF RELEASE OPERATIONS, CONSIDERATIONS OF EQUAL JUSTICE, FAILURE TO APPEAR RATES, PRETRIAL RECIDIVISM, AND ECONOMIC COSTS AND BENEFITS. EVALUATION FINDINGS RELATING TO EACH OF THESE AREAS ARE DISCUSSED INDIVIDUALLY. PRIORITY AREAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH IDENTIFIED INCLUDE THE PROCESS FOR INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF PROGRAMS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, PROGRAM OPERATING PROCEDURES, AND CONDITIONS AND CONSEQUENCES OF PRETRIAL DETENTION. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS TABULATED PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY ON PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE AND FLOWCHARTS OF EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES FOR RELEASED DEFENDANTS. A BRIEF SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS ALSO INCLUDED. (SNI ABSTRACT)...ELW