PHASE I EVALUATION OF PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS SUMMARY REPORT, FEBRUARY 1976

• NCJ Number: 40463
• Author(s): R Hanson; J Gayton; R Davis; V Cashman; F Futrell
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 49 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-NI-99-0071
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: National Ctr for State Courts
• Sale Source: 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 PHASE I EVALUATION WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRETRIAL RELEASE THROUGH OBSERVATION OF EXISTING PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THE PHASE I STAFF CONDUCTED COMPREHENSIVE, STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH THE DIRECTORS OF 109 PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO GATHER DATA CONCERNING THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND OPERATING PROCEDURES OF THE PROGRAMS. THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY INDICATE THAT THE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAMS NATIONALLY OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS IS DUE TO THE SUCCESS OF RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE AND OTHER NON-FINANCIAL RELEASES. THE STUDY TEAM WAS HAMPERED IN ITS EFFORTS TO ASSESS PROGRAM IMPACT ON FAILURE TO APPEAR AND PRETRIAL CRIME RATES BY A LACK OF CROSS-JURISDICTIONAL RESEARCH ON THESE ISSUES. AN IDEAL PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAM WAS NOT DEFINED AS IT WAS FELT THAT EVERY JURISDICTION HAS ITS OWN NEEDS, BUT AN OPTIMAL PROGRAM STRATEGY WAS OUTLINED. KNOWLEDGE GAPS AND RESEARCH PRIORITIES WERE ALSO SPECIFIED....EB