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Pretrial Defendants: Are They Getting Too Much of a Good Thing?

The use of the Step Forward program offered by the Oakland County Community Corrections Division (OCCCD) is explained. This article covers: programmatic approach -- intake assessments, case planning, services and interventions, case management, and sanctions and incentives; burning questions such as justifying the use of Step Forward by pretrial defendants and determining where to draw the line for pretrial failure; success rates compared; and next steps. Step Forward has a 93% success rate for returning defendants to the court.