Pretrial Services Subcommittee 

The Pretrial Services subcommittee of the Community Justice Council began in July 2014. A team of Dane County criminal justice stakeholders attended the Pretrial Justice Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. earlier in 2014 and created a recommendation and timelines for the implementation of innovative pretrial practices. The pretrial subcommittee emphasizes the importance of evidence-based decision-making and the usage of data and research in the criminal justice system. These practices can lead to a decrease in the use of pretrial detention by using a validated assessment tool in conjunction with judicial discretion to keep low-risk offenders in the community while awaiting trial.

Shar-ron Buie, Community Member

Colleen Clark-Bernhardt, Office of Justice Reform

Troy Enger, Chief, Division of Community Corrections District 1

Jeff Kostelic, Executive Assistant, Dane County Executive

Nicholas McNamara, Dane County Circuit Court Judge

Deborah Mejchar, Community Member

Peter Middleton, Dane County Public Defender

Jeff Okazaki, Dane County Clerk of Courts

Ismael Ozanne, Dane County District Attorney

Shannon Pierce, Dane County Director of Pretrial Services

Jan Tetzlaff, Dane County Sheriff's Office

The Dane County Community Justice Council has launched a pilot project to apply a data-driven assessment to reduce costly jailing of low-risk offenders. In December of 2016, Dane County began the implementation of the Public Safety Assessment (PSA), a risk assessment tool developed by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation used at initial court appearances to make accurate, efficient, and evidence-based decisions on whether a defendant should be detained prior to trial or released to the community. The PSA is a nationally-validated, race-neutral instrument currently in use in 30 other jurisdictions. The PSA will be fully implemented in Dane County starting February 2017. Dane County’s use of the PSA will be evaluated by Harvard University’s Access to Justice Lab in a multi-year, randomized control trial.

The Dane County Community Justice Council is the first county in the United States to partner with Harvard University's Access to Justice Lab for an intensive, multi-year study of the PSA and outcomes.  Outcomes measured will include: length of stay, racial and ethnic disproportionality, and cultural shifts within the criminal justice system. 

Video: Community Conversation on Pretrial Justice: National and Local Perspectives

Report: PSA Quarterly Report

The PSA and RCT in Dane County

Pretrial: Using technology to improve pretrial decision making

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: June 1, 2017 - September 30, 2020

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: June 1, 2017 - March 31, 2020

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: June 1, 2017 - December 31, 2019

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: May 26, 2017 - June 30, 2019

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: May 26, 2017 - December 31, 2018

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: May 26, 2017 - September 30, 2018

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: May 26, 2017 - June 30, 2018

Public Safety Assessment Quarterly Report: May 26, 2017 - March 31, 2018

2020 Q3&4; 2021 Q1

Experts: Wisconsin criminal justice reform starts with looking at pretrial detention

Pretrial, bail reform subject of June 3 presentation

How a pre-arrest opiate program is saving lives in Wisconsin

Restorative Community Court finds success in Sun Prairie

Algorithms Can Decide Pre-Trial Jail

Dane County courts test data-driven tool used to set bail for defendants