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FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIAPRETRIAL SERVICESANNUAL REPORTCRIMINAL DIVISION ALLEGHENY COUNTY1
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CONTENTSMission and Values4Administration5Director’s Message6Bail Services UnitInvestigationsBail Court LiaisonSupervision991112Behavior Assessment Unit14ARD Unit15Alcohol Highway Safety ProgramCRN/Ignition InterlockDUI Alternative to Jail ProgramFatal Awareness ConferencePartnerships/Sponsorships17181920222013 Pretrial Services Annual Report3
PRETRIAL SERVICESMISSION AND VALUESThe Mission of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania PretrialServices is to provide accurate and timely information to assist thecourt in making informed decisions regarding bond, competency, andtreatment, and to supervise and monitor defendants in a respectfulmanner, utilizing cost-effective measures for the community, and topromote compliance with court orders, court appearances, and tosupport public safety.Organizational Values The fundamental belief in the presumption of innocence Defendant interaction is fair, flexible, and consistent Community accountability and integrity Enhancing public safety through conditional release options andsupervision Proactive and innovative approach to administering services Service to the court is performed with the highest professionaland ethical standards.42013 Pretrial Services Annual Report
FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICTOF PENNSYLVANIACOURT ADMINISTRATIONDonna Jo McDanielPresident JudgeJanuary 2009-2013Jeffrey A. ManningDavid J. CashmanAdministrative Judge Criminal Division Administrative Judge Criminal DivisionJanuary 2009 – December 2013Sworn in January 24, 2013Sworn in as President JudgeDecember 24, 2013Claire C. Capristo, EsquireThomas McCaffreyDistrict Court AdministratorAdministratorCriminal Division2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report5
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGEReflecting over the past sevenyears, what stands out most tome are the changes, both bigand small, in the way the FifthJudicial District approachesthe administration of justice.Early changes made in Pretrialfunctions have continued, anddata analysis is underway ascourt and county leadersinstitute evidence-informedpolicies and proceduressystem-wide to ensure qualityservices. This system reformand collaboration is the statusquo in Allegheny Countywhere we are fortunate tohave court and county leaderswilling to evaluate and tomake difficult changes thatresult in cost-effectivestrategies and safercommunities throughout thecounty.Janice Radovick DeanDirectorThe success of the departmentis a result of continuedsupport from President JudgeDonna Jo McDaniel,Administrative Judge Jeffrey A.Manning, District CourtAdministrator Claire C.Capristo, Esquire, andPaul D. LarkinDeputy Director62013 Pretrial Services Annual ReportCriminal Court AdministratorThomas McCaffrey, all ofwhom have remainedcommitted to the mission offair and equal pretrial justice.With administrative supportand a staff dedicated to ourgoals, the Fifth JudicialDistrict’s Pretrial Departmenthas again been called uponnumerous times throughout2013 to participate andpresent at the county, stateand federal levels on pretrialpractices and functions.The accomplishments andhighlights of Pretrial Servicesare reflected in this report.The collaboration, dedicationand professionalism of thestaff in assisting andinteracting with offenders andother court and countyentities is what makes meproud to lead this dedicatedgroup of employees.
SWEARING-IN CEREMONYL-R: Megan McShane, The Honorable Jeffrey A. Manning and Andrew VercelliAndrew Vercelli and Megan McShane were sworn in as pretrial bail investigators by theHonorable Jeffrey A. Manning in his courtroom on November 1, 2013.WELCOMEAndrew Vercelli beganworking for PretrialServices as a pretrial bailinvestigator on August 12,2013.Andrew J. VercelliBail InvestigatorPatrick Knox, an AlcoholHighway Safety Programclerk, began working forPretrial Services onNovember 4, 2013.2013 Pretrial Services Annual ReportPatrick KnoxAHSP Clerk7
CHANGE COMMITTEEThe Pretrial Developmental ChangeCommittee, formed in 2007 to guide theinitial department reforms, continues tomeet monthly. This committee, comprisedof line staff, supervisors and managers,provides invaluable insight and directionwhen making major changes in bothpractice and policy. This dedicatedcommittee continues to provide great insightand perspective to the work of PretrialServices.Standing L-R: Keri Stupka, Paul Larkin, Joel Reisz, Anthony RiccelliSeated L-R: Marilyn Lahood, Janice Dean, Lindsay BlackNot Pictured: Apryl HoustonRETIREMENT: BARRY CRABLEFront Row L-R: MarilynLahood, GearldeanYoung, Barry Crable,Debra JeffersonBack Row L-R:Christopher Shanley,Timothy Ocharzak,Anthony Riccelli,Lindsay Black, ThomasMcCaffrey, Janice Dean,Andrew Vercelli, MichaelStephenson, ColleenSypolt, Keri Stupka,Shane ScottAfter more than 25 years of service,Barry T. Crable retired from hisposition as a Bail Investigator. Barryworked in the Pretrial Services JailOffice where, with his calmdemeanor, he interviewed countlessdefendants. On November 27, 2013,friends and coworkers gathered atthe Municipal Courts Building tocelebrate with him.8Janice Radovick Dean presents Barry Crable with a plaque onthe occasion of his retirement.2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report
BAIL SERVICES UNITInvestigationsAllegheny County JailBail Investigators assigned to the AlleghenyCounty Jail continue to be an integral part ofthe processing of defendants entering the jailon new charges and on Common Pleas benchwarrants for failure to appear. In 2013 this unitcompleted 19,512 investigations, submitted17,248 recommendations for bond on newarrest cases and completed 2,267 bondforfeiture bench warrant case investigations.Marilyn Lahood, Supervisor of Bail Unit, withThomas McCaffrey, Criminal Court AdministratorPRETRIAL BAIL/COURT UNITBENCH WARRANTSPERCENTAGENew InvestigationsCompleted:(Risk Assessments)17,248Bail Modifications Advocated:990Walk-in Reinstatements89020132,267-25.8%20123,057 21.2%20112,410-18.00%20102,846BOND FORFEITURES PRESENTED IN MOTIONS RENCE3353733944619079811,0381,0922012 Pretrial Services Annual 43,1429
The bail investigators conduct pretrialinvestigations 24/7, 365 days-a-year atthe jail, and submit thorough reports toarraigning magistrates in a shortperiod of time. In an effort to expeditecases from entry into the AlleghenyCounty Jail on new charges topreliminary arraignment, the courtelectronically tracks the case throughthis front-end processing. The Bail Unitpromptly processed defendants to thepre-arraignment area. Pretrial, jail, andarraignment court staff work togethertoward the common goal of maintaininga transparent and accountable processfor first appearances in the FifthJudicial District.OverridesOverriding the risk assessment tool is anationally accepted practice with anacceptable percentage for overridesunder 15 percent. In 2013, there were2,389 investigation overrides, or 12.2percent. Overrides can either raise orlower the risk assessment score basedon designated criteria approved by thecourt, and bail investigators arerequired to obtain supervisory approvalbefore any override can be submittedto the court. Victim safety, weighedagainst the rights of the accused inraising the risk score, is a supervisorydecision and is made with informationfrom the affidavit of probable cause,verified criminal history and pro socialfactors. Conversely, when requestingsupervisory approval to lower the riskscore, factors such as the defendantnot having been the primary aggressorand/or the self-surrender of thedefendant are considered.The 2013 Jail Investigative Team L-R: Barry Crable, Steven Orbin,Jody Reolla, Megan McShane, Anthony Riccelli, and ChristopherBoykoNot Pictured: Apryl Houston, Garrett Larkin, Joshua Mollica, TimothyOrcharzak, Andrew Vercelli, and Kelly Zupich.NEW ARRESTSPERCENTAGE201317,248 012 Pretrial Services Annual Report
Bail Court LiaisonStaffing for the Court LiaisonUnit consists of three full-timebail investigators and one fulltime administrative assistant.This unit presented 1,954 benchwarrant failure to appear casesand 890 self-surrender benchwarrant failure to appear casesin Motions Court in 2013.The motions list generated bythe Bail Court Liaison Unitconsists of bail modifications,bail revocations, self-surrendersand extraditions. Withcooperation from court and jailstaff, the motions process runsefficiently and provides anavenue for addressing bailissues on a daily basis.L-R: Debbie Puc, Lindsay Black, Dan Trbovich and Colleen Sypoltcomprise the Bail Court Liaison Team.The Court Liaison Unit conductsbond reviews received from theattorney for the Commonwealth,the Public Defender’s Office orany private defense counsel ofrecord requesting anadministrative review of bail.Bail review requests areprocessed within 72 hours ofreceipt, and the unit responds tothe requesting party pursuant toPa.R.Crim.P. 529. Formalpetitions for bail modificationsfiled in the Department of CourtRecords office are presented tothe motions judge foradjudication. The Court LiaisonUnit notifies parties of theoutcome within two workingdays.2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report11
SupervisionStanding L-R: PretrialProbation OfficersMichael Stephenson,Shane Scott, MichaelNapolitano, and JoelReisz. Seated L-R:Supervision ClerkRobert Henry, PretrialProbation OfficersKeri Stupka andDebra Jefferson (Notpictured: JaredVoight-Cherna)A brief released in November of 2013 from theLaura and John Arnold Foundation summarizesresearch surrounding pretrial detention,emphasizing a few key points. First, defendantswho were detained for the entire pretrial period wereover four times more likely to be sentenced to jailand over three times more likely to be sentenced toprison than similarly situated defendants who werereleased pending trial. Second, pretrial detention isassociated with long-term recidivism, particularly forlow-risk defendants. Whether or not arrestees arereleased prior to trial is often based on their abilityto pay a monetary amount and not the risk theypose to commit new crimes or fail to appear forcourt. The Bail Supervision Unit offers the court theability to place low and moderate risk offendersunder pretrial supervision as a non-monetarycondition of release. Pretrial supervision conditionsimposed by the court range from phone-in to reportin person, drug and alcohol assessments and “stayaway” orders to name a few. The philosophy behindsupervising offenders at the pretrial stage is that byaddressing the criminogenic factors that areprecipitating the offender cycling through thecriminal justice system, the cycle can be broken. In2013, the Bail Supervision Unit supervised 4,572offenders, of which 1,694 were under lowsupervision and 2,878 were under mediumsupervision. When offenders violate non-monetarybail conditions, the supervision unit has the ability toaddress these violations quickly through motionscourt, with sanctions ranging from a stern warningfrom the judge, to bail being revoked and thedefendant jailed. The Pretrial Supervision Unit’sultimate goal of offenders successfully completingall bail conditions is weighed against the publicsafety factor when petitioning the court for a bondmodification or revocation hearing.PRETRIAL SUPERVISION UNITDefendants SupervisedDefendants Placed on PEM122013 Pretrial Services Annual Report4,572128
Pretrial Electronic MonitoringPretrial Electronic Monitoring (PEM)continues as a steadfast bail and supervisionoption for the court and the community.Started in the fall of 2000, Pretrial ElectronicMonitoring has planted roots in AlleghenyCounty’s Criminal Justice system as a jointventure by Pretrial Services and AdultProbation. PEM is the highest level ofcommunity supervision utilizing sophisticatedelectronic monitoring systems in conjunctionwith expert field work by PEM Officers. Thishigh-level supervision is designated for highrisk defendants, i.e., those that may havelengthy criminal records, serious criminalcharges, violated previous bail conditions orfailed to appear for court hearings.Additionally, this type of supervision isdesigned to enforce compliance with courtorders, assure attendance in court, and toprotect the safety of the community. After arebalancing of the overall ElectronicMonitoring (EM) Program in the year 2011due to an over burdened system, PretrialElectronic Monitoring is resuming amanageable caseload. New cases orderedonto PEM increased by 35 percent from 2012to 2013. Compared to Adult Probation EM,Pretrial EM Supervision is shorter in duration;the average length of PEM supervision is128.6 days. Pretrial Electronic Monitoringprovides Allegheny County with fiscallysound benefits by keeping defendants out ofjail reducing the cost of incarceration. Inaddition, the program collected over 40,000in program fees during 2013. 41,162Fees Collected 30,811 24,04220112012Incarceration Dollars Saved2013 1,224,204Supervision Cost 538,780 639,472 117,3152011 243,041 126,9542012Alternative Housing2013Pretrial Services continues to work withAllegheny County Jail administration to aide thecourt in transferring defendants to alternativehousing programs. The procedure applies todefendants unable to post bond or probationdetainers in effect whom Allegheny County Jailand Alternative Housing have approved forplacement.2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report13
BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT UNITThe Behavior Assessment Unit (BAU)continued to operate efficiently andexpediently in 2013. The BAUpsychiatrists completed 1,635 courtordered competency evaluations andrecommended138involuntarycommitments, of which 133 werecommitted to Torrance State Hospital.The BAU social worker completed166 social histories associated withthese mental health evaluations. Inaddition to determining competency,the BAU doctors also assisted withmaking recommendations regardingbond conditions.If, during thecompetency interview, the doctorbelieves there may be an underlyingdrug or alcohol problem or mentalhealth issue, they can convey thatinformation and a recommendation tothe Bail Court Liaison Unit. Theseconditions are then presented to themotions judge for consideration to beadded to the bond. With shrinkingmental health funding, the mentalL-R: Gearldean Young, Manager, Richard Painter,health population at the jail hasKoraleigh Gritz and Brianna Staufferincreased drastically, adding anadditional burden on the BAU staffand the limited mental health service providers. Working in conjunction with the Department of Human Services, JusticeRelated Services and Corizon Mental Health staff, the three departments have been able to collaborate in structuring thebest service plans for mentally ill individuals in the criminal justice system.To better manage the mental health population, the Department of Court Records spear-headed an e-filing system in2013 and will include both civil and forensic commitments. This system will be operational in the first quarter of 2014 andwill greatly improve communication and paperwork flow for this al1735254040002619242627226Martone C593544254155665031354133474Martone 551201441,635
ACCELERATED REHABILITATIVEDISPOSITION UNITAccelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) is a pretrial diversion program for first time, non-violentoffenders where the offenders are given the opportunity to have their criminal charges dismissed andtheir criminal arrest record expunged. The program is administered by the Allegheny County DistrictAttorney’s Office with probation officers from Pretrial Services monitoring compliance.In 2013, there were 3,050 offenders placed on ARD probation, an increase of 297 offenders placed onthe ARD program. Of offenders entering the ARD Program in 2013, 87 percent were charged with DUI,with 13 percent consisting of non-DUI offenses.Successful completion of the ARD program requires each offender to complete all court-orderedconditions including payment of all restitution and costs associated with the ARD program. DUIoffenders, by statute and as a condition, must complete an Alcohol Highway Safety Program whilenon-DUI offenders, by condition, typically complete community service. In 2012, 31,880 hours ofcommunity service were completed through various nonprofit organizations.Standing L-R: Timothy Dugan, Matthew Mullen, Jody Reolla, Kristin Fesenmyer, Marleen BuckleySeated: Supervisor Girard Hildenbrand2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report15
Currently, five probation officers assigned to the ARD unit supervised over 5,000 offenders atany one time during 2013. Since the majority of the offenders are DUI related, the ARD unitworks closely with the regions four alcohol programs for completion of the Alcohol HighwaySafety Program.The ARD unit continues to work closely with the District Attorney’s Office and the Court inregard to offenders who are subject to revocation. In 2013, the ARD unit submitted violationreports to the court on 1,245 offenders, many of whom came into compliance prior to theirrevocation hearing. ARD Probation Officers also verified compliance for offenders seekingearly termination of the ARD Program and for offenders seeking to be readmitted to the ARDProgram.Revocations from the ARD program have increased and are attributed to the delayedrevocation procedure instituted by the court in 2009. The court ordered 550 delayedrevocation terms as a result of non-compliance, which culminated in 410 administrativerevocations. Of the 410 administrative revocations, 210 offenders completed their originalconditions and were readmitted to the ARD program before their cases went to trial. Ofoffenders given a final chance to complete the ARD Program, 51.2 percent were successful.The ARD program continues to give first-time, non-violent offenders the opportunity to movepast their infraction while realizing the significance of their mistakes.ARD EntrantsSuccessfulRevokedSuccess RateViolation Reports SubmittedInterest Closed by the CourtWarrants IssuedFailure to Appear RateDeathCommunity Service Hours CompletedCommunity Service Hours Assigned byDistrict AttorneyEarly DismissalReadmitted after RevocationDelayed RevocationsAdministrative 7518516263844241,2452612105504102013 Pretrial Services Annual Report
ALCOHOL HIGHWAYSAFETY PROGRAMTo combat the devastating effects of DUI and drug and alcohol abuse by actively engaging thecommunity to affect change through prevention programs, public awareness activities, DUIenforcement events, and through the administration of the Pennsylvania Alcohol Highway SafetyProgram for Allegheny County. To create safer highways, healthier lifestyles, and prevent lives frombeing lost to DUI and drug and alcohol addictions.L-R: Patrick Knox, Caitlin Calhoun, Phyllis Green, Supervisor Christopher Shanley, Bridget Keenan.Not Pictured: Pam Wahal2013 DUI STATISTICS: There were 5, 039 CRN evaluations completed in Allegheny County, morethan any other county in Pennsylvania.61% of DUI offenders are single and have never been married.37% have attended some college or a technical school.73% are employed and the average offender makes 33,270 annually.27% were stopped for a moving violation and 26% were involved in a crash.Nearly 60% of offenders were stopped between midnight and 4:00 a.m.The average BAC for a DUI offender in Allegheny County is .18.2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report17
COURT REPORTING NETWORKCRN Evaluators L-R: Russell Bayne,Michael Anthony and SupervisorSuzanne SkidmoreALLEGHENY COUNTY CRN FACTSPolice Reason for StopVehicle Violations6.6%Careless Driving20.7%Moving Violation26.7%Crash26.5%Other19.5%Total CRN’s completed in 2013: 5039Average age of offender: 3560% offenders are single/never married37% of offenders had partial college or technical training35% of the 5,039 DUI offenders entered the ARD program48% of DUI arrests occurred on Saturday and Sunday59% were between midnight and 4:00 a.m.25% of offenders had a BAC above .20IGNITION INTERLOCKIgnition Interlock Installations by al184930425648365050374137345102012 Pretrial Services Annual Report
DUIALTERNATIVETO JAILPROGRAMThe DUI Alternative to Jail Programwas designed as a sentencing optionfor first-time, non-ARD eligible, DUIoffenders with a Blood Alcohol Count(BAC) of .10 or higher. In 2013, therewas a decline in the number ofindividuals sentenced to the DUIAlternative to Jail Program, but moreoffenders actually attended than in2012.In 2013, 623 offenderscompleted the DUI Alternative to JailProgram. Any offender sentenced tothe program spends four days at acontracted hotel and is provided with anintense treatment experience. Eachoffender completes 12 and 1/2 hours ofAlcohol Highway Safety School and 12hours of Intermediate PunishmentGroup during their stay at the hotel, aswell as presentations from AlcoholicsAnonymous speakers.Researchsuggests this type of intense treatmentis more beneficial to a first-timeoffender than conventional treatmentlasting up to ten weeks. Offenders arerequired to pay 500 for doubleoccupancy or 850 for singleoccupancy. This cost covers rooms,food, materials and instructors. Thisprogram is funded entirely byparticipants with no underlying costs tothe county.L-R: Part-time Monitor Emily Rickman, Monitor James Trozziand Coordinator Wendy FeldmeierTotal Completed ProgramTotal Sentenced to ProgramTotal Number of Eligible CasesJail/Electronic Monitoring Days SavedProgram Fees Collected201220135466237791,1802,134 22,9006131,2832,472 23,050160140120100806040200Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecCases Eligible2012 Pretrial Services Annual ReportDefendants Sentenced19
On April 26th,2013, Pretrial Services hosted the annual Fatal AwarenessConference. Every year, the Alcohol Highway Safety Program strives toeducate area high school students about the dangers of drug and alcohol useand the resulting consequences. More than 300 students from 14 differentschool districts attended the event at the Ross Township Community Center.Previously held at Robert Morris Moon Township Campus, the change invenue allowed the entire program to be presented to the attending students atone time instead of separating them into groups for the breakout sessions,making better use of available time.Dare tobedifferent!20The conference featured two guest speakers. Joyce Ellis, Executive Directorof the LeMoyne Community Center, spoke of the importance to “keep going”through adversity and how to “dare to be different.” She spoke to thestudents about peer pressure and how to make a difference with the choicesthey make. The second guest speaker, George Geisler, EasternPennsylvania Law Enforcement Director with the PA DUI Association andDrug Recognition Expert with the Pennsylvania State Police, spoke about newdrugs that are “out there” and the dangers associated with those drugs.2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report
Lloyd Woodward and Valerie Ketter of the Allegheny County Juvenile ProbationDepartment bring juvenile offenders to speak to the students, peer-to-peer, abouttheir individual experiences and about how abusing drugs and alcohol has affectedtheir lives. This portion of the conference is always a student favorite that makes abig impact; as one student said “it really makes you stop and think about how justone bad decision can affect the rest of your life.”Terri Rae Anthony from AAA East Central and Allegheny County Police OfficerMike Spagnoletti presented a plaque to each school with students attending torecognize participation.The conference included lunch , and door-prize drawings were held for itemsdonated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Steeler Clear ChannelNetwork and the University of Pittsburgh.2012 Pretrial Services Annual Report21
STEEL VALLEY, GATEWAY, DEER LAKES,CORNELL, HIGHLANDS, THOMAS JEFFERSON,PLUM, MOON, AND KEYSTONE OAKSPARTNERSHIPSSAFETY BUGThe Safety Bug program, now in its twelfth year of appearances in Allegheny County still remains apopular prevention tool. The “Bug” is brought to county high schools twice a year, during Homecomingand Prom seasons to allow students with valid driver’s licenses to experience the danger of driving a carwhile impaired. Non-licensed drivers ride along in the backseat, wearing fatal vision goggles toexperience what it would be like to ride with someone who is impaired while driving. An all -day event,the Safety Bug appeared at ten different high schools throughout Allegheny County.SAFETY SIMULATORThe Safety Simulator continues to be a very well received program that was brought to ten schools inAllegheny County in 2013. Unlike the Safety Bug, students do not need to have a driver’s license toparticipate in this program, and it is especially appreciated by soon-to-be drivers. In addition to visitinghigh schools in 2013, Pretrial Services featured the Simulator for two of the University of Pittsburgh’sfootball games, offering this unique experience to a wider range of students and the public.The Simulator offers the opportunity to drive in safety while experiencing the dangers of drinking anddriving, along with other dangers that affect driving such as weather conditions and confusing roadscenarios. The Simulator is a powerful tool used to spread the message that making the right choice cansave lives. 22STEEL VALLEY, SOUTH ALLEGHENY,CHARTIERS VALLEY, BRASHEAR,GATEWAY, BETHEL PARK,THOMAS JEFFERSON, NORTHALLEGHENY INTERMEDIATE, PENNHILLS AND NORTHGATE2012 Pretrial Services Annual Report
TEEN SAFE DRIVING PROGRAMIn 2013, after a one-year hiatus, Pretrial Services partnered for the fourth time with KDKA, WestfieldInsurance, and Ford Driving Skills to sponsor the Teen Safe Driving Program. This program promotessafe driving for teens through school assemblies and public service announcements.As part of this partnership, students who attend an assembly are asked to log onto the safe drivingwebsite to answer a few questions about the assembly. At the end of the school year, the numbers aretotaled with the number of students who attended the assembly per school and the number of studentswho logged on for each school. The school with the largest percentage of entries is awarded a 3,000scholarship provided by Westfield Insurance. The scholarship check was awarded to Lawrence CountyCareer and Technical Center Principal Regina Hiler live on the Pittsburgh Today Show.L- R.: Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Robin Mungo, Pretrial Services’ Prevention Coordinator Pamela Wahal, Erica Weagleyfrom Ford Motor Company, Regina Hiler, Principal of Lawrence County Career and Technical Center, George Loeffelbein fromWestfield Insurance and Kristine Sorenson from KDKA on the set of Pittsburgh Today Live show.2013 Pretrial Services Annual Report23
4th ANNUALSAFE DRIVINGCOMPETITIONStudents from twelve Allegheny County high schools participated in the 4th annual “Safe DrivingCompetition” held at the Pittsburgh Technical Institute on April 9th, 2013. Three students from eachparticipating school took part in a driving course, a perceptual, and a written test. Those with the highestscores were awarded cash prizes and an opportunity to compete at the state level in Harrisburg. Firstplace was awarded to a Cornell student, second place to a student from Moon, and third place to astudent from North Allegheny. Shaler Area High School achieved the highest overall score.SADD CONFERENCEOn November 13th the annual SADD Conference was held at the Seven Springs Mountain Resort,and for the first time the conference ran in conjunction with the DUI Conference. Two hundredstudents from Allegheny County and surrounding area high schools in the Western Region ofPennsylvania attended the conference. Information regarding this year’s theme, “Peer to PeerChange, “ was presented through leadership workshops and provided attending students withvaluable tools to promote new ideas within their schools.Craig Tornquist, who served as Master of Ceremonies, is widely popular with students due to hisenthusiasm, great message and style for encouraging group participation. Harriet Turk served askeynote speaker and urged students to give serious consideration when making life choices.242012 Pretrial Services Annual Report
ROAD RADIOUSAFor the second year, Pretrial Services partneredwith Road Radio USA, a program that mixescurrent, upbeat music along with a very powerfulmessage regarding drinking and driving.The program was presented to ten middleschools within Allegheny County in 2013. Thisone-hour long assembly, conducted by JimMothersbaugh and a gentleman known only as“Big Andy,” demonstrates to students theconsequences of making destructive decisionsregarding drugs and alcohol. The very potentmessage delivery leaves students thinking abouthow one bad decision can affect the rest of theirlives. Road Radio has been extremely wellreceived by students and faculty and is alreadybeing requested for next year.2012 Pretrial Services Annual Report25
Back Row, L R: Christopher Shanley, Janice Dean and Pamela WahalFront Row: “Big Al,” Marsha Hinton, Gearldean Young and Jim MothersbaughThis program is a powerfultool being utilized toward thegoal of educating students sot
Allegheny County Jail Bail Investigators assigned to the Allegheny County Jail continue to be an integral part of the processing of defendants entering the jail on new charges and on Common Pleas bench warrants for failure to appear. In 2013 this unit completed 19,512 investigations, submitted 17,248 recommendations for bond on new
