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Welcome to “DC Public Safety” – Radio and Television shows on crime, criminal offenders and the criminal justice system.

See http://media.csosa.gov for our television shows, blog and transcripts.

Transcript available at http://media.csosa.gov/podcast/transcripts/2012/02/victim-rights-in-the-pretrial-process/

Current Radio Program:

The program interviews Will Marling, Executive Director of the National Association for Victim Assistance and Tim Murray, the Executive Director of the Pretrial Justice Institute. The topic is victim rights within the pretrial process.

Pretrial involves decisions as to releasing a person arrested (a defendant) or incarcerating the individual in a jail until the trial date. Pretrial release may involve bail based on money ordered posted by the court to prompt a defendant’s appearance (often with minimal or no supervision) at trial or release to a pretrial services agency who will supervise and/or drug test the defendant until the date of the trial.

Release decisions are made by a judge, often with input from court officials or a recommendation from parole and probation or pretrial service agencies. The principle issues involve the defendants perceived risk to public safety, the probability of appearing for trial and risks to victims.

The discussion involved the rights of victims regarding the decision to release and the process of supervision.

The District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency (part of the administrative structure of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency) is considered to be one of the best pretrial service agencies in the country.

The website for the National Organization for Victim Assistance is http://www.trynova.org. The website for the Pretrial Justice Institute is http://www.pretrial.org. The website for the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency is https://www.psa.gov/.

Special Announcements:

The National Reentry Resource Center is a project of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice. Please see the Center’s website at http://www.nationalreentryresourcecenter.org/ . Please see “Federal Interagency Reentry Council Launches Website, Releases Myth-Buster Series” on the front page of the site (see announcements). CSOSA is a member of the Council.

“DC Public Safety” is offering statements of support in radio and television programs for  the American Probation and Parole Association’s (APPA) ”Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week” throughout the spring and summer. The week is celebrated from July 17 to July 23. The website for the American Probation and Parole Association is http://www.appa-net.org .

The Louisiana Department of Corrections/Division of Probation and Parole is offering radio shows on reentry. Please visit their website at .

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency:

We welcome your comments or suggestions at <“mailto:leonard.sipes@csosa.gov”>leonard.sipes@csosa.gov or at Twitter at http://twitter.com/lensipes.

The website for the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency is http://www.csosa.gov/.

The program is hosted by Leonard Sipes. The producer is Timothy Barnes.

Comments offered on “DC Public Safety” television and radio programs are the opinions of participants and do  not necessarily represent the  policies of CSOSA or other government agencies.