Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) is offering a free webinar, Conditions and Confinement: A Conversation About Impact. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, July 28, from 1 to 2:30 pm ET.
About the Training
Jurisdictions across the country are moving away from money as a condition of pretrial release, a shift broadly supported by research, advocates, and communities seeking fairer, more equitable systems. In Illinois and New Jersey, pretrial systems without financial release conditions are now in place. As these systems mature, they raise important questions that warrant honest, community-grounded examination: When money is removed from the equation, how are victims/survivors, people accused of crimes, and their loved ones experiencing the change?
This training brings together people with direct experience of pretrial justice systems: survivors of violence, people who have been accused of crimes, and family members who will discuss how these changes affect them. Their perspectives illuminate critical questions about agency, safety, the presumption of innocence, and the structures needed to help ensure that removing financial conditions of release does not inadvertently create new forms of harm or limit people’s rights under the law.
Learning Objectives
- Summarize how pretrial systems operate without the use of financial conditions.
- Understand how pretrial reforms may positively and negatively impact the safety, autonomy, and agency of people charged with crimes and the victims/survivors of harm.
- Understand how new practices may mitigate any negative impacts.
Training Faculty
Gem Jones, founder, Building Bridges Solutions
Ms. Jones brings extensive firsthand experience with the criminal legal system, including direct impact from pretrial detention. She has participated in national conversations on bail reform, pretrial policy, and restorative approaches to justice, including presenting at NAPSA and other reform-focused convenings. Her work centers the voices of people most affected by the system and focuses on building practical bridges between policy and lived reality.
Alison Shames, co–project director, Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research at CEPP
Ms. Shames is a director at the Center for Effective Public Policy and serves on the organization’s Board of Directors. She leads many of CEPP’s pretrial projects, including the Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research initiative, which she helped develop and has co-directed since its launch in 2018. She is also the project director of the Illinois Pretrial Fairness Act Project, through which CEPP helped stakeholders implement the groundbreaking law that abolishes the use of financial conditions for pretrial release; and the Illinois FAIR Act Project, for which CEPP is helping develop the statewide office of public defense.
Michael Beltran, client support specialist, The Bail Project
Michael Beltran is a dedicated peer support specialist and behavioral health technician with a strong background in assisting people who have previous involvement in the justice system. Drawing on his own experiences, Mr. Beltran has devoted his career to supporting those affected by the criminal legal system, serving in various roles including family support partner, group facilitator, and client support specialist. He is passionate about advocating for fair treatment within the justice system and strives to ensure that all parties are recognized and respected throughout the process.
Orleny Rojas, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Before joining CEPP, where she supports the APPR initiative, Ms. Rojas served as deputy director of criminal court operations, overseeing the implementation and operation of New York City’s Supervised Release Program across the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. She led a team of social service practitioners who partnered with community organizations to meet the needs of pretrial participants and improve pretrial outcomes. Ms. Rojas has more than 15 years of experience collaborating with criminal justice and community stakeholders to center and address the needs of vulnerable populations.
Application Process
If you are interested in attending the training session on July 28, please complete the training registration.
You can direct any questions to Samuel Steed, operations assistant at the Center for Effective Public Policy, at ssteed@cepp.com.
