Staff interview and verify information obtained from detainees at the Alachua County Jail prior to their First Appearance Hearing. Staff do not interview arrestees who are Department of Corrections prisoners, escapees, federal in-transits, here only on out -of- county or out-of-state charges, hospitalized, in jail on other charges (in-house inmates), or if they are too intoxicated/violent.
Pretrial Investigations are completed for First Appearance Hearings, 365 days a year. Staff interviews defendants and attempt to verify information via phone contact with relatives, friends, employers, etc. Staff review local and National/State (NCIC/FCIC) criminal histories as well as complete and review a pretrial risk and needs assessment. The Pretrial Investigative Summary is communicated to the Court and includes criminal history review, preliminary risk/ needs assessments and identifies high risk domestic violence, sexual and violent offenders. Pretrial Services Court Officers also attempt to contact victims of domestic violence during the investigation process to ascertain whether there are safety and/or security concerns that need to be reported to the Judge during First Appearance. The Judiciary uses the investigation to make informed release or detention decision as well as order treatment and/or any special conditions of release based on Florida Statutes which address public safety.
There are three levels of community based supervision. Defendants are supervised on the least restrictive level of supervision required by their conditions of release. Defendants receive referral(s) to appropriate treatment or social service agencies as needed.
Court Services has a jail population review process that is performed by a Centralized Screening Team (CST). CST screens eligible detainees who remain in custody 96 hours after their First Appearance Hearing. In collaboration with the Department of the Jail, the judiciary and treatment partners, the Pretrial Release Assessment Specialists develop and propose release plans to manage low risk offenders on lower cost community based supervision. Referrals for program screenings are made by defense attorneys and community partners for defendants in a pretrial status who remain in custody and are appropriate for Court Services programs or expedited sentencing at bond reduction hearings.
Defendants and probationers are supervised using technology to monitor them 24 hours a day. They have approved activities such as work, church, school, court and self- help appointments. Home and or worksite visits conducted randomly each week. EM can also be used punitively to "lockdown" defendants for any specified period of time.
Defendants and Probationers are supervised using technology to monitor their alcohol consumption 24/7.
Defendants with pending adult criminal charges; Defendants who can be effectively managed in the community depending on risk and need assessments; and Defendants who have violated prior pretrial release supervision are reviewed and may be appropriate for a higher level of supervision.
Currently, Pretrial defendants are not charged any fees for participation in the program. However, defendants supervised on electronic monitoring pay nominal fees to defray program costs.