APPR’s assistance is collaborative; grounded in the law, research, and data; and centered on a commitment to increasing equity.
Research-Action Sites receive intensive, long-term assistance to examine their current systems, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement those advancements. RTI International, APPR’s independent research partner, conducts research and evaluation of all the sites to understand how changes are made to pretrial systems, the impacts of those changes, and to identify opportunities for more equitable, fair, and transparent practices for people involved in the pretrial system.
Rural jurisdictions often face unique challenges, such as limited staff and resources. In 2024, APPR piloted a Rural Pretrial Practitioners Fellowship program to provide participants with specialized training, resources, and networking opportunities. This successful mentorship highlighted the importance of collaboration in the field and the need for resources to advance pretrial practices in rural jurisdictions.
Our Pretrial Practitioner Network (PPN) supports champions of local and national pretrial advancements. The expertise of APPR PPN members help us create relevant, practical resources for the pretrial field.
Learning Sites receive less intensive, shorter-term assistance, bolstered by peer support and a collaborative online workspace, to examine their systems and identify and implement pretrial improvements.
Legacy Sites are jurisdictions that were early adopters of the Public Safety Assessment. APPR provides them with targeted technical assistance and a collaborative online workspace to improve certain areas of their pretrial systems.
“We have people who have been working in pretrial for 45 years, and no one could think back to a time when so many people from different agencies, including law enforcement, have sat down at a table to talk through issues and work on solutions together. Bridging that gap in communication has been our greatest accomplishment through the Learning Sites project.”
APPR offers an array of free virtual trainings that cover a broad range of pretrial topics. The training sessions are open to all interested community members and criminal legal system practitioners. Trainings are available for registration or on-demand.
APPR’s growing collection of pretrial resources provide practical guidance for studying, planning for, and implementing pretrial improvements. The resources include:
RTI International, conducts independent research and evaluation of the six Research-Action Sites. Research includes Understanding the Local Context, Studying Implementation of Pretrial Improvements, Studying PSA Performance, and Studying Pretrial Processes and Decision Making.