California Pretrial Series (STC Certified)

Post August 29, 2023

This six-part Pretrial Services Training series presented in partnership with Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR). This training series is designed for probation officers, superior court staff, judicial officers, and other pretrial service providers who are focused on the delivery of pretrial services.

Modules include:

Introduction to Pretrial (STC #07936839)
Before Arraignment (STC #00397566)
Arraignment Hearing (STC #05425759)
Pretrial Support, Part I (STC #03616382)
Pretrial Support, Part II (STC #01658259)
Measuring Performance (STC #00991577)

Click here to access the On-Demand platform

Notification October 8, 2021

This is California Probation
Equity in Gender, Diverse Officers Focused on Collaborative Safety for All

California Probation officers are diverse and highly educated professionals with over 72% of probation officers identifying as non-white, and 51% are women, the majority have four-year degrees, and over half of probation departments have employed former system-involved individuals.

California Probation is educated and trained to help protect communities by carefully balancing justice-involved individuals’ need for accountability along with their need for the help and hope required to safely leave the justice system permanently.

Introduction to Pretrial
Module 1 of the California Pretrial Training Series

This course will provide foundational knowledge about pretrial services, and it will lay the groundwork for future, more in-depth training sessions. The course will cover the roles pretrial services may play throughout the pretrial phase, the legal and evidence-based principles underlying the pretrial phase and the provision of pretrial services, issues of racial equity within pretrial services, and the key distinctions between probation supervision and pretrial services.

Training August 8, 2022

Before Arraignment
Module 2 of the California Pretrial Training Series

This course will review the role that a pretrial services program may play during the pre-arraignment time period. Participants will learn about how pretrial services may provide information to help judicial officers make the pre-arraignment release decisions. The session will also cover the basics on pretrial risk assessment tools, an overview of the most commonly used tools, the role of the assessor, and the importance of quality assurance. Faculty will also address the needs and ways to assess a person’s ability to meet a financial release condition.

Training September 8, 2022

Arraignment Hearing
Module 3 of the California Pretrial Training Series

This course will review the role that a pretrial services program may play during the arraignment hearing. Faculty will review the legal principles of a meaningful arraignment and the importance of the pretrial assessment report that a pretrial services officer may provide to the court and other stakeholders. The course will also discuss the value of pretrial services attending the court hearing. Finally, faculty will present on the distinction between court-ordered release conditions and voluntary services.

Training October 3, 2022

Pretrial Support, Part I
Module 4 of the California Pretrial Training Series

The training reviews the evidence-based and practical ways a pretrial services program can promote people’s pretrial success. The methods discussed in the training honor the presumption of innocence, the requirement of “least restrictive means,” and the principle of human dignity. In doing so, the focus of supervision shifts from managing failure to promoting success. Faculty will cover in detail the research on pretrial strategies (such as court notification, supervision, and electronic monitoring).

Training August 29, 2023

Supportive Services, Part II
Module 5 of the California Pretrial Training Series

Justice system and community partners increasingly recognize that most people released pretrial appear for their court hearings and remain law-abiding. Accordingly, many pretrial services agencies have wisely shifted their supervision model to prioritize and focus on supportive services rather than surveillance. This training will provide participants with evidence-based and practical ways to support people with need-based services. It will focus on person-focused supervision and discuss ways to engage the community and obtain feedback from clients.

Training August 29, 2023

Measuring Performance
Module 6 of the California Pretrial Training Series

Performance measures enable justice agencies to more objectively understand and evaluate the extent to which important pretrial goals, such as fairness, effectiveness, and efficiency, are being achieved. Common pretrial performance measures include, for example, a jurisdiction’s release rate, arrest-free rate, and court appearance rate. Benefits of good performance measures include evaluating the effectiveness of new practices, tracking changes over time, and communicating with all stakeholders, including the public and media.

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