
Pretrial Services
The Department of Detention Facilities Pretrial Services Unit’s function is two fold.
The Department of Detention Facilities Pretrial Services Unit’s function is two fold.
The Department of Detention Facilities Pretrial Services Unit’s function is two fold:
The Court has the option of ordering supervised release as an alternative to monetary bail or unsupervised personal recognizance. Defendants granted supervised release are placed in one of five levels of supervision based on their risk of failure to appear and pretrial misconduct as determined using an objective point scale, and/or as ordered by the Court. All defendants on supervised release are required to comply with general conditions of release (see Pretrial Release Contract, following), special conditions of release designed to address individual risk, and maintain regular contact with Pretrial Services (see Conditions of Release by Supervision Level, following).
Defendants assigned to Supervision Level 1 check in by telephone once per week by way of a state-of-the-art automated voice response system. This system provides both English and Spanish translation. Defendants check in by entering an identification number on a touch-tone phone. In the event the defendant fails to call on his/her assigned day, the computer system starts phoning his/her home during evening hours until contact is made. Personal contact between a defendant and staff may be achieved when desired by either party. The automated system also reminds defendants of court dates with every call and allows them to verify them any time they wish. Additionally, the system calls defendants daily once the trial or hearing date is within three days, and case-monitoring staff sends written reminders.
At the other end of the supervision spectrum is Level V, which is only applied when ordered by the Court. Defendants assigned to Level V are on house arrest while awaiting trial (See House Arrest – Condition of Pretrial Release).