Problem
Problematic Behavior Or Activity
The Pretrial Release Office at the Jackson County Circuit Court was fully eliminated in 2012. Since the elimination of the Office there have been many forced releases, 1258 in 2014, due to the jail reaching its capacity. The Jackson County jail population is comprised of 65% pre-trial defendants.
Forced release of offenders without conditions or monitoring increases the risk of failure to appear. Some of those individuals may be more appropriate than others for pretrial release. Offenders who are released without conditions of supervision or do not have access to day reporting services are at higher risk of non-compliance.
Solution
Program Description
The Release Assistance Office is a program designed to reduce jail overcrowding, minimize the failure to appear rate by providing informed release decisions and appropriate community supervision. This program is also designed to insure the fair and equitable manner for persons to be released from jail while considering the public safety issues associated with releasing that particular defendant. Individuals identified for pretrial release with supervision conditions will be referred to the recently reestablished Day Reporting/Management Center (DRMC).
Funding
This program is fully supported by the Justice Reinvestment grant and funds the following:
2 FTE Program Specialist
1 FTE Office Assistant
Outcome
Program Impact
The Release Assistance Office is a program expected to reduce jail overcrowding, minimize the failure to appear rate by providing informed release decisions and appropriate community supervision.