APPR will host nine workshops at the National Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (NAPSA) 2025 Annual Conference and Training Institute, held in Atlanta from Sunday, September 14, to Wednesday, September 17. Learn more about this year’s conference.
Register now to secure your spot at NAPSA and join us for the workshops described below.
APPR Workshops at NAPSA 2025 Conference
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- Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Support, Part 1
- Characteristics of Effective Pretrial Staff
- Enhancing Rural Pretrial Practices
- Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Support, Part 2
- Participatory Pretrial: Women and Pretrial
- Words Have Power: Human-centered Language to Advance Pretrial Justice
- Getting the Conversation Started: Communicating with Your Pretrial System Partners
- The Science of Decision Making: Gamifying Mindful Choices
- Translating Local Pretrial Advancement into State-Level Reform
Monday, September 15
Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Support, Part 1
This workshop will offer an overview of criminal legal system interactions for domestic violence/intimate partner violence (DV/IPV)-related cases, including available assessments and supervision. It will also discuss community-based support for survivors’ well-being. Impacted people will share their insights, and faculty will introduce practical, evidence-based ways to support everyone involved in DV/IPV cases. The session is designed to help pretrial system stakeholders and their community partners develop effective responses—both pretrial and in the broader criminal legal system—to address and reduce the harm associated with DV/IPV.
Presenters
Orleny Rojas, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Gene Johnson, associate director, Center for Justice Innovation
Shawn LaGrega, deputy director, Maine Pretrial Services, Inc.
Kristie Puckett-Williams, community engagement consultant
Characteristics of Effective Pretrial Staff
This training session aims to help pretrial services professionals understand the key characteristics contributing to their effectiveness in the criminal legal system. Participants will examine how these characteristics influence their working relationships with colleagues, clients, and the court. The training will also explore various work and leadership styles, offering participants greater self-awareness of their approaches and insights on improving team cohesion and professional success. Through interactive activities and discussions, participants will identify their strengths, tackle challenges, and cultivate positive traits that enhance their credibility and influence.
Presenters
Tanya Anderson, associate director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Orleny Rojas, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Tuesday, September 16
Enhancing Rural Pretrial Practices
This workshop focuses on improving pretrial practices in rural communities by addressing unique challenges and exploring innovative solutions. Guided by experienced rural practitioners, participants will engage in collaborative discussions, share strategies, and learn from real-world examples to strengthen pretrial justice systems tailored to rural settings. Topics include resource limitations, stakeholder collaboration, and implementing effective, evidence-based approaches.
Presenters
Lakisha Fisher, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Hillary Hartoin, director, Cass County (IN) Court and Pretrial Services
Gem Jones, CEPP justice policy consultant
Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence Support, Part 2
This workshop will offer an overview of criminal legal system interactions for domestic violence/intimate partner violence (DV/IPV)-related cases, including available assessments and supervision. It will also discuss community-based support for survivors’ well-being. Impacted people will share their insights, and faculty will introduce practical, evidence-based ways to support everyone involved in DV/IPV cases. The workshop is designed to help pretrial system stakeholders and their community partners develop effective responses—both pretrial and in the broader criminal legal system—to address and reduce the harm associated with DV/IPV.
Presenters
Orleny Rojas, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Gene Johnson, associate director, Center for Justice Innovation
Shawn LaGrega, deputy director, Maine Pretrial Services, Inc.
Kristie Puckett-Williams, community engagement consultant
Participatory Pretrial: Women and Pretrial
This workshop responds to the urgent need to interrupt a 50-year trend of increasing pretrial detention and further incarceration of women, despite them posing little danger to public safety and being the likeliest to have the role of primary caregiver.
The Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP) developed a participatory pretrial model to foster more equitable, just, and family-strengthening pre-conviction decisions for women. This workshop will educate participants about the participatory pretrial model, which helps prepare judicial officers, pretrial practitioners, and women facing court decisions to support a more inclusive process. We will share strategies for pretrial services that will result in better-informed decisions, greater autonomy for the people charged, a more holistic approach to pretrial monitoring, and, ultimately, more successful completion rates for people on pretrial release.
Presenters
Alison Shames, director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Judge Carla Baldwin, administrative and presiding judge, Youngstown (OH) Municipal Court
Domingo Corona, director, Pretrial Services, Pima County (AZ) Superior Court
Kristie Puckett, community engagement consultant
Words Have Power: Human-centered Language to Advance Pretrial Justice
This workshop builds on guidance published in the 2024 update to NAPSA’s Pretrial Standards that emphasize the use of people-centered, strength-based language. Presenters will provide an overview of multidisciplinary research on the benefits of people-centered, positive language and how it can promote success for pretrial systems, communities, and people involved in criminal legal systems. It’s about more than just being nice; it’s about language as a tool for cooperation and better outcomes.
Presenters
Spike Bradford, communications manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Holly Ziemer, communications director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Michael Beltran, CEPP justice policy consultant
Elizabeth Simoni, executive director, Maine Pretrial Services, Inc.
Getting the Conversation Started: Communicating with Your Pretrial System Partners
Interagency communication and education are essential for productive, collaborative pretrial system advancements. In this training, participants will learn specific tactics and approaches to communicating effectively with judicial officers, prosecutors, public defenders, and other system professionals. We will discuss how to identify champions open to ongoing information exchanges to create regular opportunities for internal education. The presentation will include input from professionals whose own learning experiences influenced them to become champions for pretrial justice.
Presenters:
Spike Bradford, communications manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Holly Ziemer, communications director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Carrie Hennen, director, Thurston County (WA) Pretrial Services
Judge Christine Schaller, Thurston County (WA) Superior Court
Wednesday, September 17
The Science of Decision Making: Gamifying Mindful Choices
This workshop will discuss findings from the cross-disciplinary field of decision science, summarized for the pretrial context. It will also provide an overview of guidance on making effective, outcome-focused decisions and introduce a “bench card” for thoughtfully examining decisions. Recognizing that learning is more effective and lasting when it’s fun, presenters will lead attendees through a novel exercise designed to emphasize the importance of mindful decision making as a best practice.
Presenters
Spike Bradford, communications manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Lakisha Fisher, senior manager, Center for Effective Public Policy
Michael Beltran, CEPP justice policy consultant
Translating Local Pretrial Advancement into State-Level Reform
County-level efforts to improve pretrial practices can often spur other jurisdictions to follow suit, sometimes leading to state-level reforms. This workshop will feature representatives from two states to discuss how local changes are having larger-scale statewide impacts.
Presenters
Matt Alsdorf, associate director, Center for Effective Public Policy
Yvonne Jones, senior court program analyst, Administrative Office of the Courts (WA)
Brandon Walker, court services management analyst, Office of the State Court Administrator (MO)