by James C. Sherlock
The goals, good ones, of Virginia’s Pre-trial Services Agencies (PSA) is
- to advise courts on pre-trial release risks;
- to supervise the population on pre-trial release to reduce recidivist crime and failures to appear (FTAs) and
- through both efforts to help assure public safety.
By the government’s own evidence, those goals have not been realized.
A major Virginia Crime Commission study reported the PSA program made no difference at all compared to courts and pre-release populations not served by PSA. It’s overall success rate was no higher than 62%. The other 38% represent a danger to the citizens of Virginia.
This article is written for two reasons: (1) to get the Youngkin administration as an urgent public safety issue to improve the PSA system or try something else; and (2) to expose that the DCJS annual reports to the governor and General Assembly have been at best wrong.
The evidence of PSA ineffectiveness submitted by the Virginia Crime Commission is scientifically derived by external review. The reports of DCJS are derived from internal data to support budget requests.
The very large gaps in assessment of PSA effectiveness between the two are impossible to rationalize.
In order to make those two separate cases, I will introduce evidence of both issues. Continue reading