Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) is offering a free webinar to highlight key findings from its annual summary of pretrial research published in 2025 and 2024.
The webinar is on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET.
About the Training
The webinar will discuss studies featured in APPR’s 2025 and 2024 Pretrial Research Highlights. Faculty will discuss important trends in the kinds of research conducted and the results reported. The discussion will help participants understand the studies’ methodologies and limitations and identify ways to apply these insights to everyday pretrial practices.
Learning Objectives
- Learn about recent research relevant to the pretrial justice field, including methodologies and findings.
- Hear explanations of methods used to conduct key research, as well as the studies’ limitations.
- Explore what key findings mean to practitioners and stakeholders considering ways to improve pretrial practices, policies, and laws.
Training Faculty
Spike Bradford, communications manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Mr. Bradford has served in a variety of research, analysis, and communications roles for nonprofit organizations focused on the criminal justice system, including the National Criminal Justice Association, Pretrial Justice Institute, Justice Policy Institute, and Marijuana Policy Project. He also worked in the research branch of the State of Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General and as a consultant for several leading criminal justice system policy and advocacy organizations. Mr. Bradford holds an MA in sociology from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and an MEd from Bowling Green State University.
Jessica Ireland, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Jessica Ireland is a Senior Manager at CEPP. She provides technical assistance to jurisdictions across the country that are working to improve their pretrial systems and supports the implementation of the Public Safety Assessment (PSA).
Ms. Ireland is a national expert on pretrial services programs, collaboration in the criminal legal system, and implementation of sustainable and effective pretrial system improvements. She was the Pretrial Services Program Manager for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, where she spearheaded efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of pretrial screening, release, and supervision practices. Highlights included working collaboratively with justice system stakeholders to move from a resource- to a risk-based system of release, successful implementation and validation of the PSA, and the development of a graduated response to violations framework. Under her leadership, Mecklenburg County Pretrial Services became the first stand-alone jurisdiction to receive national accreditation from the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies. She holds a BA in sociology, a BS in criminal justice, and an MPA from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Sarah Picard, PhD, director, Center for Criminal Justice Research, MDRC
Ms. Picard is an expert in policy-level reform in the adult criminal justice system. With 20 years of experience conducting rigorous research and providing technical assistance to policymakers and practitioners across the country, her work prioritizes the translation of research evidence to practice in the service of real-world problem-solving. Picard currently leads MDRC’s Center for Criminal Justice Research, where she oversees a portfolio of projects spanning critical issues in criminal justice, including pretrial justice, fines and fees, diversion and reentry, and violence prevention.
Application Process
If you would like to attend the training session on March 25, please complete the training registration.
Please direct any questions to Samuel Steed, operations assistant at the Center for Effective Public Policy, at ssteed@cepp.com.
