What is the Pre-Trial Services Program?
The Pre-Trial Services Program is an alternative program within the Department of Justice and Public Safety, Secure Custody Division serving the St. John’s Youth Court.
This program serves as an alternative to the Pre-Trial detention of youth.
The Pre-Trial Services Program operates seven days a week from 9am – 12midnight.
Who is Eligible?
All youth who are held in custody between the ages of twelve and eighteen years of age appearing for a bail hearing or requesting a bail review.
How to Apply?
Referral from the crown prosecutor or from the youths’ defense counsel.
Rationale
The Pre-Trial Services Program offers an alternative to both the youth and the court to help reduce the number of youth who are detained while awaiting trial.
Goal
The primary goal of the Pre-Trial Services Program is to reduce the amount of time a youth is detained in custody pending trial by providing verified information to the Youth Justice Court at each stage of the bail hearing; combined with community supervision and programming while under the jurisdiction of the interim release order.
Objectives
- To provide the court verified information on the status of a youth with respect to acceptance into the Pre-Trial Services Program at his/her initial bail hearing.
- To provide community supervision as per the guidelines of Pre-Trial Services Program, on a youth released on judicial interim release order, as directed by the Youth Justice Court.
- To provide support and information to a detained youth for the purpose of applying for a judicial review of variation or review of the detention order.
Functions
The program has three components:
- Verification: Determines the eligibility of the youth for the program by verifying the information the youth is providing to the court through collateral contacts in his/her application for bail.
- Supervision: Is provided following the release of a youth on bail with a court ordered supervision condition to the Pre-Trial Services Program to ensure the youths’ compliance with the conditions of the release order; to ensure the youth follows the daily program that had been developed; to ensure the community safeguards are continuing to be met; and to monitor that the regime of supervision is acceptable.
- Review: Should a youth be denied bail, to assist and facilitate a judicial review of the youths’ detention should circumstances change and/or mandatory review dates reached.
Beneficiaries
The Pre-Trial Services Program will work in conjunction with:
- Youth
- Family
- Community
- Courts
- Crown/Defense Counsel
- Police
- Secure Custody
- Health & Community Services
For more information please contact:
Pre-Trial Services Program Staff at:
| Main Office: | (709) 729-5041 |
| Program Coordinator: | (709) 689-6352 |
| After Hours Cell Numbers | (709) 689-6351 or (709) 689-5303 |
| Fax: | (709) 729-0745 |