February 2020 Bar Bulletin
An Overview of Pretrial Services in King County
Many studies have documented the negative impact that pretrial incarceration has on employment, education and families. Jail time can result in job loss, home loss and disintegrated social relationships which in turn increase the likelihood of re-offending upon release. Pretrial incarceration may also have a negative impact on the outcome of an individual’s criminal case. The effect of pretrial detention on sentence length appears to be strongest for defendants at low risk of committing future violence. One study found that when other relevant statistical controls...