Polk County has stopped paying for an intensive pretrial release program aimed at keeping offenders awaiting trial employed and out of trouble, a program the state of Iowa’s corrections agency recently took over.
County officials last week ended its decades-long contract with the Fifth Judicial District of the Iowa Department of Corrections, contending the county shouldn’t have to pay if it no longer has control of the program. Polk County had paid $240,000 annually to help fund the program, which serves about 150 people at any given time facing criminal trials in the county.
The pretrial release program, offered statewide, provides supervision to people who are charged with crimes but are allowed to stay out of county jails while awaiting trial. The program aims to help them avoid a new arrest and ensure they’ll appear for their court appearances. It offers defendants charged with lower-level crimes a chance to continue working and have access to counseling, substance abuse services and other resources. Polk County’s contributions funded additional staff to provide close supervision to “higher-risk” defendants who would otherwise be in jail.