The Pretrial Services Department for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio was ranked as one of the best in the country in several categories including having the best outcomes; a sign the department is achieving its goals while also making a big difference in people’s lives.
The Department was recognized during the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA) Conference in September. The conference is attended by local, state, and federal pretrial services agencies and each year the Administrative Office of the U.S Courts’ Probation and Pretrial Services Office (PPSO) acknowledges high performing districts.
The Department was ranked in the top seven in the country for recommending release, release rates and supervision outcomes.
“The high national rankings earned by our Pretrial Services reflect the effort and dedication of the officers and staff who work daily to ensure defendants and their families have what they need to follow the conditions set upon them while they are awaiting trial,” United States District Court Chief Judge Sarah D. Morrison said. “Our officers go above and beyond to give people every opportunity to be successful.”
Upon arrest and charges being filed against a person in federal court, they meet with a Pretrial Officer who interviews them and writes a report for the Judge about whether the department recommends the person should be released while awaiting trial or if they should be detained in jail. The Judge makes the final determination about whether or not a person should be released.
More than 70% of defendants charged in the Southern District of Ohio were recommended for release last year, yet there was not a single case where a defendant failed to appear in court. While people are out of jail awaiting resolution of their federal cases, Pretrial Services can help them get a GED, get their CDL Licenses, find employment, repair family relationships, and even get them substance abuse and mental health treatment.
It’s proof the Court works with each individual to build a foundation so they may make better choices in the future, Chief Pretrial Services Officer Melanie Furry said. And that’s important because for the vast majority of cases, the defendants will be returning to the community whether it be because a case is dismissed, the person is sentenced to probation, or they return home after serving time in prison.
“By keeping people in the community, they work, and they contribute to society,” Furry said. “I think we have made a real point that they are not individuals defined by their charge but are people with families and goals. They are in a hard stage of life, and we are trying to get them through that to something more positive.”
The law presumes that all defendants should be ordered released ahead of their trial unless the Court finds that they pose too great a risk of non-appearance or are a danger to the community. Conditions can be placed on a person awaiting trial to reduce risk of danger and flight such as ordering them to wear an ankle monitor, requiring they attend treatment or other restrictions. Each condition is specific to the defendant, Furry said, and are used to mitigate specific risks they may pose.
High release rates result in significant cost savings to the taxpayer. It costs about $106 a day to incarcerate someone before they go to trial while it only costs about $12 a day to supervise them and provide life altering services.
“We hear all the time, officers in Cincinnati, Columbus, and in Dayton, it’s not uncommon for a person to go to sentencing and talk about the difference the pretrial services officer has made for them,” Furry said. “I think we have a professional group of officers who work hard to assist people in making those life changes. It is not an adversarial relationship we have with people. We really want to see people succeed.”