SJC Exchange Library

Often pretrial and court systems are not set up to encourage defendant success or provide support to individuals to help them get back to court. Many jurisdictions regularly impede defendant success by over imposing pretrial conditions and issuing warrants for clients when they miss a court date. These circumstances can ultimately increase the chances someone will end up back in jail or miss additional court dates. This workshop will share experiences and strategies from different jurisdictions (specifically Lake County, IL and Harris County, TX) that help improve court appearances, reduce the overuse of pretrial conditions, be more responsive to client needs, and reduce disparate outcomes at the intersection of race, gender, and identity-centered demographics. This session will also engage participants in a conversation about related challenges they are experiencing in their jurisdictions and provide space for brainstorming solutions.