NCJ Number
143478
Date Published
1979
Length
239 pages
Annotation
Pretrial service agencies (PSA's), authorized by Title II of the Speedy Trial Act of 1974, were established in 1976, and their functions include collecting, verifying, and reporting information on the pretrial release of each person charged with an offense; recommending appropriate release conditions; supervising persons on pretrial release; informing the court of pretrial release violations; and helping those released from custody obtain employment, medical, legal, and social services.
Abstract
This 1979 report provides information on PSA's after 3 years of operation. Report findings do not demonstrate the extent to which reductions in detention, crime on bail, and failure to appear are attributable to the impact of the Speedy Trial Act in compressing the period from arrest to trial. On the other hand, judges, judicial officers, and lawyers who participated in and observed the operations of 10 PSA's believe the agencies improved the operation of the Bail Reform Act and enabled judicial officers to make more informed decisions on bail using verified factual information and recommendations of pretrial service officers. It is recommended that PSA's be continued and that district courts be authorized to appoint pretrial service officers under standards prescribed by the U.S. Judicial Conference. Operations of the 10 PSA's are detailed, and PSA programs used in State courts are compared. Tables and figures