Pretrial Services

Pretrial services is a role of the federal judiciary that occurs at the initial phase of the criminal justice system—following an individual's arrest and accusation of a federal offense, and prior to their trial. Officers involved in pretrial services concentrate on examining the histories of these individuals to assist the court in deciding whether to permit their release or keep them in custody while they await trial. This determination hinges on whether these individuals are likely to abscond or present a danger to society. If the court decides to allow release, a pretrial services officer oversees the individual within the community until their next court appearance.