Maximizing Public Safety: The Pretrial Install Before Release Program

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

The Pretrial Services Division of the Adult Probation Department in Maricopa County, Arizona, provides community-based supervision of more than 2,800 pretrial defendants. Roughly one-third (900) receive enhanced supervision with electronic monitoring (EM). Historically, EM supervision was initiated after the defendant’s release from custody when the defendant reported to a Pretrial Services’ office during business hours for intake and the installation of EM equipment. Since defendants were released from custody 24/7, it was not unusual for a few days to transpire before EM equipment was installed. This gap in supervision presented some serious public safety concerns, especially given that some defendants charged with violent offenses had court-ordered restrictions regarding their movements in the community. Additionally, the number of defendants being released with EM conditions was increasing rapidly. The Maricopa County Adult Probation Department worked diligently with the Maricopa County Superior Court and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to address this supervision gap. The Install Before Release program enables Pretrial Services officers to install EM equipment on defendants prior to their release from custody. Judicial Officers now order Install Before Release on nearly 90% of the pretrial EM releases, which eliminates a supervision gap with these defendants and maximizes public safety.