Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) is pleased to offer a free training on the current state and future of pretrial law, legislation, and litigation. Explore current trends in pretrial reform and how the national landscape is being shaped by recent legislation, court rules, and litigation—and pushback against pretrial advancements. This training will take place on Thursday, March 21, 2024, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET. The deadline to register is Friday, March 15.
About the Training
The need for judges to make intentional decisions about release and detention based on their state laws and federal constitutional rights has been recognized nationwide. This has led many jurisdictions to reduce—or eliminate—their reliance on financial conditions of release. Most notably, Illinois abolished the use of financial conditions of pretrial release when the Pretrial Fairness Act took effect in September 2023. Additional states anticipate legislative proposals for pretrial advancement this year. Indeed, the APPR co-directors believe 2023 was potentially a tipping point for pretrial justice.
Litigation to end the use of wealth-based detention is pending in a number of jurisdictions; in others, settlements are being implemented, monitored, and scrutinized. Separate from litigation, some courts have exercised their authority to promulgate new rules or policies concerning pretrial release and detention that reduce the use of money and better reflect U.S. legal principles. But there is also pushback. The perception that crime has increased has fueled efforts to roll back reforms.
This training will review recent pretrial reform activity and examine whether we are seeing trends or just isolated changes. We will discuss the emerging policies that system and community stakeholders agree on and what they disagree about. We will talk about the challenges that pretrial advancement faces. And we will ask participants to consider how these changes may affect their roles in the pretrial system and what the changes might mean for the people most directly impacted by it.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Explain the current trends in pretrial law, including litigation, legislation, and court rules
- Identify any trends in their local jurisdiction
- Analyze how the current trends may impact their role in the pretrial system and how they may be able to advance positive change
- Be familiar with APPR resources and the APPR Community
Training Faculty
Matt Alsdorf, associate director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Mr. Alsdorf is a co–project director of APPR. He is a lawyer by training and previously served as the vice president of criminal justice at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. For APPR, Mr. Alsdorf assists jurisdictions and oversees the development of pretrial resources.
Alison Shames, director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Ms. Shames is a co–project director of APPR and serves on CEPP’s board of directors. She is a lawyer by training and has provided training and technical assistance in pretrial justice, community supervision, sentencing, and corrections to dozens of jurisdictions for over 15 years.
Kristie Puckett, program manager, Forward Justice
Ms. Puckett’s direct experience with poverty, drug addiction, domestic violence, and incarceration has led her to pursue a career in policy and advocacy. She is an expert on the conditions of confinement for women and girls, including those who are pregnant. Ms. Puckett also serves as a gender and justice policy adviser for the Center for Effective Public Policy, the chair of the Women in Incarceration Workgroup for North Carolina’s State Reentry Council Collaborative, and as a commissioner on the North Carolina Commission on Racial & Ethnic Disparities in the Criminal Justice System.
Application Process
Please complete the training registration by Friday, March 15.
Confirmed participants will receive additional information about the training, including how to prepare for and attend the session and access-related resources.
Please direct questions to Alison Shames, APPR co-director, at ashames@cepp.com.