Berks County Prison Society, Incorporated dba Berks Connections/Pretrial Services

Pretrial Interviews and Assessments-
Pretrial Officers conduct post-arrest interviews and assessments of criminal defendants and furnish the verified assessments to the judiciary, either prior to bail being set or at the preliminary hearing. BCPS utilizes the Pretrial Assessment Tool of the Ohio Risk Assessment System (PAT-ORAS) to assess the risk of a defendant committing a new offense while under pretrial release or failing to appear for court. BCPS also assists with jail population management. Pretrial staff conduct a monthly review of the jail population to assure that low risk defendants are not needlessly incarcerated due to their inability to post bail. We are pleased to see that on average, the true pretrial population (those held only on a bail) hovers around 20%, which is well below the national average. For those defendants that are classified as low risk and are deemed appropriate for pretrial release, Pretrial Officers will provide the assessments to defense counsel and recommend that a motion is made to modify the bail to release the defendant on an unsecured bail. In 2018, Pretrial Officers conducted 2,355 interviews and provided 2,187 assessments to the court.

Pretrial Supervision-
BCPS provides supervised release for criminal defendants who would otherwise remain in jail until the final disposition of their case. Pretrial Officers utilize the results of the PAT-ORAS to set conditions that are based on the risk that individual poses and to ensure both court appearance and public safety. Pretrial Officers provide drug and alcohol program referrals for individuals facing drug related charges and for those identified as having a drug or alcohol problem. BCPS also oversees the Community Release Bail Program, which was designed to ensure that the economic circumstances of a person will not subject him/her to punishment before trial. In 2018, Pretrial Officers supervised 840 defendants. The appearance rate for defendants under our supervision was 96% and the re-arrest rate was 6%.

Treatment Courts-
BCPS provides personnel and support for the Berks County Treatment Courts. BCPS interviews and assesses most treatment court applicants and provides referrals for drug and alcohol testing and treatment. Treatment Courts include DUI, Drug and Alcohol and Mental Health Courts. The Treatment Courts provide an intensive combination of court-ordered treatment and regular interaction with the Treatment Court Judge and the team, including the Public Defender’s Office, Adult Probation Office, TASC, SAM, Inc., the District Attorney’s Office, treatment providers and BCPS.

Mother’s/Father’s Voice Program-
The Mother’s/Father’s Voice program allows incarcerated mothers and fathers of young children to record a story on video. The child receives the book and DVD as a gift from their parent. The child can then watch the video of his/her parent reading while following along in the book. Birthday and holiday cards may also be included to celebrate milestones in their child’s life. This provides a sense of closeness between the parent and child that would otherwise not be possible. In 2018, 763 books were read and sent to children through this special program.

Family Connections Events-
BCPS staff and volunteers host social events each year that join incarcerated parents with their children and caregivers. Our Family Connections Picnic is held in September at the BIG Vision Sports Complex and serves as a United Way Day of Caring site. Children spend quality time with their parents by sharing a meal, playing games, making crafts, and enjoying the outdoors. Our Family Connections Holiday Party is held in December at the Community Reentry Center. Families enjoy a delicious holiday meal, games and crafts and the children get a special visit from Santa Claus! Generous contributions from United Way volunteers allow us to provide gifts for all the children in attendance. These events provide the opportunity for much needed contact between children and their incarcerated parents within a positive environment.

Holiday Gift Drives-
BCPS enlists volunteers throughout the community to provide holiday gifts for children of individuals who are incarcerated or involved in the criminal justice system. Some volunteers choose to deliver the gifts themselves, while other gifts are collected and distributed at a special holiday event hosted by West Lawn United Methodist Church.
Family & Friends Coping with Incarceration Support Group-
BCPS staff and volunteers lead a monthly support group for the families and friends of individuals involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday of the month from 7 to 9PM.