Pretrial Release Decision Making: State-Specific Training for Judges

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP's) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In fiscal year 2007, the Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within six major categories: 1) targeting violent crime; 2) preventing crime and drug abuse; 3) enhancing local law enforcement; 4) enhancing local courts; 5) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 6) facilitating justice information sharing. All categories combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime.

The Pretrial Justice Institute will implement their Pretrial Release Decision Making: State-Specific Training for Judicial Officers Project funded under Category 4: Enhancing Local Courts. They will develop a training curriculum on pretrial release options and conduct 3 pilot training courses. The goal of this project is to address the problems of an increase in pretrial detention and the cost of incarceration.

CA/NCF