The Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA) provides a wide range of pre-trial release supervision to support the D.C. Superior Court and the U.S. District Court. While some defendants are released without conditions, the majority of defendants are supervised by PSA. These defendants have a wide variety of risk profiles, from those posing limited risk and requiring condition monitoring, to those posing considerable risk and needing active tailored release conditions such as frequent drug testing, stay away orders, substance use disorder treatment or mental health treatment and/or frequent contact requirements with Assistant/Pretrial Services Officers A/PSOs. PSA also has a number of teams that provide increasing levels of restrictive and specialized supervision.
Throughout the pretrial release period, PSA notifies the Court, prosecution, and defense of non-compliance with release conditions, and provides daily courtroom support on pretrial matters. As the sole pretrial services agency serving the D.C. Superior Court and the U.S. District Court, PSA supervises or monitors over 20,000 defendants each year. At any given time, over 5,000 defendants are under pretrial supervision. On average, defendants with misdemeanor cases in D.C. Superior Court are under pretrial release for four months and felony cases are under pretrial release for five months. Defendants in U.S. District Court average approximately six months on pretrial release.
PSA provides the following types of supervision:
General Supervision
Over 50 percent of defendants are released to PSA’s General Supervision Team. General Supervision Teams use a wide range of supervision and case management strategies to ensure compliance with court ordered release conditions to include graduated responses to non-compliance and notification to the Court. This team also provides incentives for defendants that are compliant with supervision requirements during the duration of their pretrial supervision period.
Traffic Safety Supervision
The Traffic Safety Supervision Team provides supervision, and monitoring, to defendants who need treatment and are charged with certain misdemeanors prosecuted by the D.C. Office of the Attorney General. PSA identifies, screens, drug tests, assesses, links with services, and provides basic pretrial supervision and court reporting for these defendants.
Investigation and Support Team
The Investigation and Support Team conducts Rap Back Notifications to the court and conducts investigations on defendants that have active bench warrants and assists with defendant re-engagement of returning to Court and compliance with supervision. This team also support administrative tasks for the Office of Post Release and Supervision.
Electronic Monitoring Team
Defendants are placed on electronic monitoring when the Court determines they present elevated safety or appearance risks and require enhanced supervision. The Electronic Monitoring Team (EMT) plays a critical role in managing these risks by employing a range of supervision strategies, including in-person and telephone check-ins, drug testing, and location monitoring. These tools help promote accountability and support defendants in meeting their release conditions. In instances where a defendant under EMT supervision is found non-compliant with curfew requirements, the Court may impose a “step-back” to a period of incarceration. This measure is meant to protect the community and ensure the defendants return to court.
United States District Court Team
United States District Court Team plays a vital role in the federal Judiciary, serving as the initial point of contact in the criminal justice process. These officers work closely with individuals charged with federal offenses who are awaiting trial. Their primary responsibilities include assessing risk, recommending appropriate release conditions, and supervising defendants to ensure they appear for all scheduled court proceedings and do not pose a threat to public safety. Through careful monitoring and evidence-based practices, PSOs help uphold the integrity of the judicial process while supporting fair and effective administration of justice.
Supervision for Special Populations
Because substance use disorders often coexist with mental health problems, an effective supervision program also must be able to address the needs of those with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
PSA's Specialized Supervision Team (SST) provides specialized services and supervision to defendants with mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. In administering these services, the SST works collaboratively with the District’s Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and designated mental health service providers. The SST is operated by PSA‘s Treatment Unit and provides critical support for the D.C. Superior Court Mental Health Community Court.