What Do Criminal Justice Professionals Think About Risk Assessment at Pretrial?

The authors describe findings from surveys with judges, prosecutors, defenders, and pretrial staff in 30 jurisdictions about their perceptions and use of risk assessments in making pretrial release decisions. Findings suggest that there is both consistency and variability in how criminal justice professionals perceive and value risk assessments. This has important policy implications, as a shared understanding of the utility of the tool may impact its value and the fidelity of its implementation.