Local officials ask state lawmakers to avoid limiting Pretrial Service programs

  • Dec 2, 2011

MANATEE COUNTY, FL (Dec. 2, 2011) – Manatee and Sarasota County Commissioners today joined a group of 12th Judicial Circuit judges, law enforcement officials, the State Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office in extolling the value of Pretrial Service programs and asking state lawmakers to leave the programs in tact during the upcoming legislative session.

“Zero state dollars are spent on these programs, and any attempt to limit the programs punishes taxpayers and does a disservice to the community,” said Manatee County Commissioner Michael Gallen.


At a defendant’s first hearing, judges in the 12th Judicial Circuit and in other areas of the state may order defendants into local supervised release programs which require accountability while a defendant awaits a hearing. When they enter pretrial service programs, defendants are monitored regularly to ensure they’ll show up for court appearances. Pretrial release programs are the only release option where the defendant is supervised by an officer of the court.


As a result, 97 percent of all Pretrial Service program participants appeared for all of their court hearings over the past year and 86 percent were totally compliant with all conditions of release throughout pretrial period.


Recent legislation has proposed limiting counties’ ability to provide pretrial service programming. But local officials pointed out this morning that limiting the programs will result in higher jail populations and a far greater cost to taxpayers. In Manatee County, the cost to house someone in jail is $67 per day, but only $1.91 each day for Pretrial Service participants.


State Rep. Jim Boyd – one of a handful of local delegation members and their aides who attended the Pretrial Service Program Symposium at Lakewood Ranch Town Hall – said he supported Pretrial Service programs and “it will be easy for me again to support them.” Rep. Darryl Rouson said Pretrial Service programs are of “paramount importance to local communities,” adding that Sarasota and Manatee county programs are a model for the state.


“It’s a local issue and the state ought to stay out of the way,” Boyd said.


“Without Pretrial Service screening, (judges) would be making decisions based on hunches,” Sarasota Circuit Judge Charles E. Williams said. “Pretrial Service programs are a cost benefit to the community and they ensure that people who need services will get them. They give us a blanket of security that they’ll be supervised correctly.”

“Pretrial service programs have lowered our jail populations measurably,” said Sarasota County Commissioner Jon Thaxton. “They are proven to work.”