Department of Pretrial Services

Helping to provide and compassion to Kentucky’s judicial system

The Department of Pretrial Services oversees four divisions: Records, Court Security, Pretrial Release and Interpreting Services.

The Kentucky General Assembly created Pretrial Services through the 1976 Bail Bond Reform Act, which also eliminated commercial bail bonding. With strong support from then-Gov. Julian Carroll, the legislature made it a criminal offense to post a bond for profit in the Kentucky, the first state in the country to take this bold step. This innovative approach led to the creation of a statewide Pretrial Services program.

Pretrial Services officers interview defendants within 12 hours of arrest, verify the information provided, perform extensive criminal background checks and utilize a validated risk assessment in order to make a recommendation for release to the trial courts. Defendants are entitled to the least restrictive release terms possible, depending on whether they are likely to appear in court and not present a risk to public safety. 

Since 1976, the scope of the Department of Pretrial Services has expanded to include Court Security, which supplements local security forces statewide; Records, which provides criminal history checks; and Interpreting Services, which arranges interpreting services for court proceedings for individuals who have a limited ability to understand English, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are unable to speak.