Lee County Pretrial Services

Goals of Pretrial Services

• TopromotepublicsafetybyensuringthosethatposeariskareseenbytheFirstAppearanceJudge.

• Toprovideaccurate,timely,neutralinformationregardingarresteestojudgessotheycanmakeinformedreleasedecisions.

• Toaidinassuringtheappearanceofthedefendantincourtandreducefailuretoappearrates.

• Toprovidesupervisionofdefendantsorderedonsupervisionandtoensurecompliancewithreleaseconditionsestablishedbyjudges.

• Toalleviatejailovercrowding,therebyreducingjailoperatingcostsandfuturecapacityneedsoflocaljails,causedbyunecessarydetentionofcertainpretrialdefendants.

• Toimprovetheefficiencyandeffectivenessofthelocalcriminaljusticesystem.

• Tomanagecasesaccordingtotheircomplexityandfacilitateearlydispositionofappropriatecases.

• Tofacilitateearlyidentificationofreferrals,monitorcomplianceandtrackprogramsuccess.

Foradditionalinformationpleasevisitourwebsiteat:

http://www.ca.cjis20.orgClickonPrograms > Pretrial Services

LeeCountyPretrialServicesislocatedonthethirdflooroftheJusticeCenter.Our

mailingaddressis:1700MonroeStreetFortMyers,FL33901

MainOffice-(239)533-8400Fax-(239)485-2733

-Administration-CaseSupervision

-FelonyCaseManagement-FelonyDrugCourtProgram

-Screeningforappointmentofcounsel

LeeCountyIntake/Jail-(239)477-1584-Intake&Investigation-FirstAppearance-JailManagement

20th Judicial Circuit of FloridaAdministrative Office of the Courts

Criminal Division

1700 Monroe StreetFort Myers, FL 33901

Phone: (239) 533-8400Fax: (239) 485-2733

What is Pretrial Services?

TheLeeCountyPretrialServicesDepartmentprovidesdirectcase-flowmanagementservicestothejudiciarypresidingwithinthecriminaldivisioninLeeCounty.Ourmissionistoprovidecomprehensivecasemanagementservicestothecourts,fromcaseinceptionthroughcaseclosure,viaprofessionalstaffcommittedtothehigheststandardsofexcellence.Thedepartmentiscomprisedofthreeunits,alongwithclericalsupport,whichincludetheIntake&InvestigationsUnit,theCaseSupervisionUnit,andtheFelonyCaseManagementUnit.

Case Supervision

TheCaseManagementUnitmonitorsandtracksallcasesastheymovethroughthejudicialsystem.Theprimaryfunctionsinclude:• Managecasesaccordingtotheirnature/

complexitytofacilitateearlydispositionofappropriatecases.

• Facilitatecourtschedulinginaccordancewithtimegoalsandon-timedispositionofcases.

• Trackandprovidethecourtwithcasestatusupdates.

• Serveasaliaisonbetweenagencies.• Generateperformancemeasuresandage

pendingreports.• Researchcasesbeyondtimegoalsto

identifyreasonsfordelayandfacilitatecaseprogression.

• Facilitateearlyidentificationandprocessingofreferralsandmonitorcompliancewithprogramguidelines.

Benefits

1. Allowsdefendantstocarryonwithdailylife(continuetoworkandsupporttheirfamily);

2. Continualreviewofthejailpopulationtofacilitatereleaseviacourtorder;

3. Reducesdetentioncosts(ex.food,staff,medicalbills,etc.);

4. Promotespublicsafety;

5. Aidsintheappearanceofthedefendantincourt;

6. Aidsinthetimelydispostionofcases.

Intake and Investigation

ThePretrialServicesIntakeandInvestigationUnitisstationedinsidetheLeeCountyJailandoperates24/7.Theprimaryfunctionsinclude:

• Collection,verificationandinvestigationofdemographicandcriminalhistoryinformation.

• Assessmentofriskandneedforeverybookeddefendant.

• Assistwithapplicationforcriminalindigentstatus(appointmentofthePublicDefenderwheneligible).

• PresentationofcompiledinformationtotheFirstAppearanceJudgetoaidinthereleasedecision.

• Continuousreviewallnon-sentencedincarcerateddefendantspriortoarraignmentsothatappropriate,non-violentmisdemeanorcasesareplacedonaJailManagementDocketforpotentialreleasefromcustodyorearlyresolutionofthecasereleasedecision.

Accredited by the Florida Corrections Accreditation

Commission

Case Management

TheCaseSupervisionUnitsupervisesalldefendantswhoarereleasedonpretrialsupervisionandwhoentermisdemeanordiversion.Courtorderedreleaseconditionsareenforcedthroughdisposition,suchasnocontactorders,drugandalcoholscreeningandcounseling.Referralsmayalsobemadetodiversionprograms.Non-complianceisimmediatelyreportedtothecourt.

ConditionsoftheDeferredProsecutionAgreementareenforcedtoensureeducationalandtreatmentrequirementsarecompleted,feesandanyapplicablerestitutioniscollected,andallstandarddiversionconditionsaremet.