Evidence-Based Pretrial Decision Making

Under this supplement, the Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI) will focus the FY 2013 program on a new effort, introduce the pretrial lessons learned from the BJA Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) and the Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) Initiative to a broader constituency. PJI will use grant funds to work with major urban courts who have discussed acquiring long-term assistance in reforming their pretrial justice systems, as well as conduct state-specific trainings for prosecutors, defenders, judges and elected official in collaboration with existing BJA grantees. They will administer the pretrial helpdesk, which has become the central repository for pretrial justice resources and materials. They will plan state specific pretrial symposia developed by the Conference of Chief Justices in consultation with the Attorney General. In addition, PJI will continue the momentum created by the Attorney General's National Pretrial Symposium by working with existing grantees. NCA/NCF

The goal of the Pretrial Justice Institute's (PJI) Smart Pretrial Oversight, Technical Assistance and Training Project is to improve the administration of pretrial justice by facilitating pretrial reengineering efforts in three demonstration sites competitively selected and funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Smart Pretrial Demonstration Initiative (SPDI). Through the course of SPDI's three phases -- Planning, Implementation and Sustainment -- the three demonstration sites will be expected to develop and employ core elements of pretrial justice as identified at the Office of Justice Program's National Symposium on Pretrial Justice in 2011. At the least, they will implement evidence-based pretrial risk assessment instruments and risk-based supervision strategies across their jurisdictions. Ultimately, the investment in SPDI will result in lessons learned for the larger pretrial justice field and the criminal justice system as a whole.

The grantee will use the FY 2014 supplemental award to provide subject matter expertise and overall oversight; convene and lead the Initiative Steering Team of technical assistance. The grantee will also use the funds to deliver site-specific technical assistance; design and conduct specialized training; develop communications strategies and products; coordinate research and project evaluation; convene Smart Pretrial and related meetings and events; and manage sub-grantee funding, data collection and reporting.

The grantee will also use the funds to continue its coordination and leadership of the national Pretrial Justice Working Group (PJWG) and provide resources for SPDI and the national pretrial justice community through the pretrial.org website and office based technical assistance.

NCA/NCF

The Ensuring Procedural Justice Throughout the Adjudication Process: Pretrial Reform, High Performance Prosecution, and Smarter Sentencing Practices Program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by Pub. L. No.112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 615, the Byrne Competitive Program helps communities improve the functioning and capacity of state and local criminal justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. The FY 2012 program will focus on funding efforts in three major categories. The Pretrial Justice Institute (PJI) will utilize this grant to improve the cost effectiveness and conditions of the nation's jails, as well as the administration of justice, by facilitating pretrial reform efforts on a broad geographic and jurisdictional scale. PJI has two objectives: (1) Educate and support criminal justice policy makers and practitioners in legal and evidence-based pretrial justice such that it results in advancements in local systems. This will involve: providing training and technical assistance (TTA) to jurisdictions that are in a position to understand their data and make policy changes; developing a network of learning sites, speakers, and materials highlighting different aspects of pretrial justice; and coordinating all TTA service engagements with BJA's National Training and Technical Assistance Center. (2) Manage a national-level collaboration that generates partnerships and initiatives that can be sustained and leveraged. This will involve: continuing to support the Pretrial Justice Working Group (PJWG) and its Subcommittees; managing BJA's National Judicial Council on Pretrial Justice, an initiative of the PJWG; and hosting two Pretrial Justice Fellows who will liaison between the PJWG and their peers. CA/NCF