Pretrial release programs supervise defendants who have been released from jail while awaiting disposition of their criminal charges. As required by statute, OPPAGA conducts an annual study of pretrial programs that meet certain statutory criteria, administering a survey to gather information from the programs. Twenty-eight programs responded to the survey regarding 2021 operations and reported serving over 71,000 defendants. Programs reported gathering defendant information, such as criminal history and other demographics, to screen potential participants. In 2021, programs that screened defendants reported that staff conducted over 120,000 interviews. Seventeen programs also reported using risk assessment tools during the screening process.

To remain on pretrial release, defendants must comply with all court-ordered conditions until the final disposition of their cases. Warrants for their arrest can be issued if defendants do not comply with these conditions, fail to appear for a court appearance, or commit a crime. All pretrial programs reported a rate of 8% or less for participants failing to appear in court. Pretrial programs reported varying numbers of defendant arrests. For example, the Alachua and Escambia county programs reported that 1% of program participants were arrested, while the Seminole County program reported that 17% of participants were arrested while in the program. For most pretrial programs, the rate of arrests for participants was under 8%.

In 2021, pretrial programs reported calendar year budgets ranging from $71,221 in Flagler County, which served 550 participants, to $8.4 million in Broward County, which served 8,758 participants. Across the state, pretrial program budgets totaled over $41 million, with county funds making up 94% of the total. No programs reported utilizing private funds, while six programs reported receiving grant funds.

Statute requires each pretrial program to prepare a weekly register with information about the defendants released through the program and an annual report. Pretrial programs generally complied with these statutory requirements, as 26 programs provided OPPAGA with weekly registers, and 27 programs provided OPPAGA with an annual report. However, many programs’ reports did not include all of the statutorily required data elements.

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.