Federal Pretrail Services

2003 Words5 Pages

Federal Probation Officers began as volunteers in the 1900’s. Congress passed legislation establishing the Federal Probation system in 1925. By 1929 the first U.S. Probation Officer was designated under the U.S. Department of Justice. Until 1939, the U.S. Probation Office was assigned under the administration of the U.S. Department of Justice. Congress then authorized the creation of the Administration Office of the United States Courts. Within the Administrative Office, the Division of Probation and Pretrial Services were created. (United States District Court, 2011)

The Pretrial Services Act of 1982 was signed into law by President Reagan “authorizing the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, under the supervision and direction of the Judicial Conference of the United States, to provide, direct or by contract or otherwise, for the establishment of the Pretrial Services in each U.S. judicial district.” (United States District Court, 2011)

There are 94 Federal District Courts today and each district has its own U.S. Probation Office, while many also have their own U.S. Pretrial Services Offices. Federal Probation and Pretrial Services Officers are federal law enforcement officers, who are individually appointed by the Chief Judge of that district. Officers are eligible for a 20 year retirement and mist be appointed before their 37th birthday, due to the mandatory separation age of 57. (United States District Court, 2011)

Federal Pretrial Services Offices are different from other federal law enforcement agencies, because they are “regionally aligned” to their judicial districts, not to a single main command office. All Pretrial Service Officers, report to the Chief Pretrial Services Officer of that ...

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...ed as the cycle of crime individuals fall into, due to social and economic struggles. These people are more likely to continue into the cycle of crime, due to certain policies that have been created to “punish” these individuals (i.e. Three Strikes Law). These populations are often negatively targeted by policy makers. This policy change provides a realistic view of how policy decisions can negatively affect certain populations, while in turn causing more problems for society and allowing the cycle of crime to continue.

Works Cited

Functions and Powers Relating to Pretrial Services, U.S. Code, Title 18 Part II Chapter 207 http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/usc_sec_18_00003154----000-.html, Retrieved December 3, 2011.

United States District Court, Southern District of California U.S. Pretrial Services, http://www.caspt.uscourts.gov/, Retrieved December 3, 2011.

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