Pretrial Services

Sonoma County’s Pretrial Services program was implemented in January 2015. The program is intended to maximize public safety and Court appearance rates, while providing a safe alternative to detention. Defendants eligible for Pretrial release are assessed for their risk to re-offend, as well as the likelihood they will attend court as ordered. The Court utilizes the risk assessment to determine the appropriate level of Pretrial supervision.

Once a defendant is released on Pretrial Services, Deputy Probation Officers perform case management functions including meeting regularly with defendants, assessing their needs and making referrals to appropriate programs. Defendants will ordinarily be monitored by Pretrial Services until sentencing. If a person being monitored on Pretrial fails to appear for Court, receives a new criminal referral or violates conditions of release, the Pretrial Probation Officer will make a recommendation to the Court to continue, modify or terminate their pretrial grant.