Pre-Trial Supervision
Pre-Trial Supervision (PTS) is an element used to prepare court cases for bond hearings and/or trial, providing an alternative to incarceration and reducing jail overcrowding with an emphasis on public safety. The process has three (3) primary objectives: to collect and analyze offender information for use in determining risk, to make recommendations to the court concerning conditions of release, and to supervise offenders who are released from secure custody pending adjudication.
A PTS Case Manager conducts a universal and impartial screening of offenders arrested on criminal charges before their appearance in court. The interview is intended solely to assist in determining appropriate pre-trial supervision release. The interview includes demographic factors, residence information, employment/educational status, substance abuse and/or mental health history, and other relevant factors to determine release.
At the bail hearing, the case manager will present the information compiled during the interview. The judge will determine whether to utilize the PTS under Levels I through III, set a bond, or incarcerate the offender pending trial. The authorizing judge will complete a notice to the SMCDRC and the offender. Once the bail review is complete, the offender is returned to the assigned SMCDRC cell, with release procedures being followed accordingly.
An essential aspect of PTS is to provide supervision to released offenders. Judicial officers and/or case managers set a myriad of conditions tailored to individual offenders. Case managers ensure the offenders are following those conditions while released. Common conditions involve one or more of the following: regular check-ins with pre-trial services, substance abuse or mental health treatment, stay away orders, electronic monitoring, curfew, etc. Another important aspect of PTS is reminding offenders of upcoming court dates.