Programs at Pre-Trial Services
Pre-Trial Services
Corporation provides quality intervention service and alternatives to detention
for persons accused of crimes
PreTrial Services programs impact the local criminal justice system in a variety of ways including keeping the jail population manageable, saving the county jail days and keeping costs under control.
Other impacts include providing community supervision, helping to ensure public safety, and providing alternatives to incarceration to address client needs to assist in returning defendants to court and ensuring adherence to court conditions.
Pretrial programs have a major impact on the jail and have been evaluated to show significant savings to the County in managing defendants safely in the community versus keeping them in jail at a much higher cost.
RELEASE PROGRAMS
Program
Services are provided to all criminal courts in
Pre-Trial Release/Bail
Expediting:
This program provides universal screening for all defendants arrested and detained in the Monroe County Jail. The program staff interview defendants, verify information given and communicate that information to the Court in order to assist a qualified defendant in obtaining release on his/her own recognizance in lieu of money bail or pre-trial detention. If the defendant is released to the program, he/she is monitored to ensure subsequent Court appearances. All those released to Pre-Trial who fail to appear for a Court date are notified by both mail and telephone (where possible), and instructed in how to clear the bench warrant that has been issued. For those not released, program staff contacts friends and family who may be able to assist with posting bail.
Release Under Supervision
Pre-Trial Services Corporation has been providing Release Under Supervision since 1995. The program has specific requirements for compliance as well as incorporates any special conditions as ordered by the judge in the case. The program requires drug testing as ordered, attendance at every court date, and that the defendant follows through with any referral for evaluation and/or treatment for mental health or substance abuse problems.
Electronic Monitoring
Electronic Monitoring is an adjunct to other Release Under Supervision programs. The installation and monitoring of the equipment is the responsibility of the Office of Probation. Pre-Trail Services staff monitors the defendant’s activities.
Court Appearance Monitoring
All program staff works with defendants to assure attendance at court appearances and assist defendants who have missed appearances with voluntary surrender to the court process.
SPECIALIZED
PROGRAMS:
Promise Program - Traditional
Diversion
This program provides defendants an opportunity to address issues that brought them into the court system, thus reducing the likelihood of future arrests. Defendants enter into a treatment plan and if successful, the original charge is reduced or dismissed.
Felony
DWI Diversion
Defendants entering this program are screened by the District Attorney's Office for suitability and are required to surrender their driving privileges upon entry into the program. Defendants enter into a treatment plan and if successful in making significant changes to prevent further arrests, the charge is reduced to a misdemeanor DWI.
Weekend
DWI Sentence Program
This program is structured primarily for those convicted of DWI
who would have served weekends in the jail. Instead, DWI offenders are
sentenced to attend an intensive educational program at the