Background: The Pre-Trial Services unit of the department was established in February, 1990, to develop a supervised release program aimed at reducing jail overcrowding. All defendants booked into the jail are screened to determine eligibility. Defendants released into the program by the courts receive regular release, intensive supervision release or electronic monitoring release.
The purpose of Pre-Trial Services is to supervise felony offenders released on surety or PR bond from jail and to keep the jail population manageable; alleviate jail overcrowding, initiate contact with all individuals who are arrested in the county to determine the offender's status; provide supervised release; provide treatment and referral options for offenders when needed and allow offenders to hire their own attorneys. Pre-Trial Release Officers monitor the offenders to ensure they appear for their court hearings and abide by the terms of release.
