Pretrial Detention
Definition
Jailing criminal defendants before trial—before conviction, while presumed innocent. Pretrial detention is supposed to prevent flight risk or danger to community, but in practice, most pretrial detention results from inability to pay bail. Pretrial detainees (unconvicted) are held in same jails as convicted inmates, sometimes for months or years. Pretrial detention causes job loss, housing loss, family separation, and coerced guilty pleas.
Louisville Context
Louisville Metro Corrections holds 1,100-1,300 pretrial detainees (60-70% of jail population) on any day—people charged but not convicted. Average pretrial detention is 45-90 days, but some wait over a year for trial. Pretrial detention costs Louisville $80-100 per person per day ($50+ million annually for pretrial detainees). Research shows pretrial detention increases likelihood of conviction, longer sentences, and recidivism—jailing unconvicted people actually worsens outcomes.
Why It Matters
Pretrial detention punishes people before conviction, devastating lives and families. Detainees lose jobs, fall behind on rent, lose custody of children, and miss medical care. Many plead guilty just to end detention even if innocent. Meanwhile, Louisville spends $50+ million annually jailing unconvicted people rather than investing in community safety. Pretrial detention perpetuates injustice while wasting resources.
Dave’s Proposal
Dave will expand pretrial services as alternatives to detention: check-ins, electronic monitoring, court reminders, and support connecting people to jobs and treatment. He’ll work with courts to reduce pretrial detention for low-risk defendants. He’ll redirect savings from reduced detention toward community safety investments. He’ll track and publish pretrial detention data by race exposing disparities.