Pretrial and Probation: Compare and Contrast

SESSION INFO

Tuesday, January 24, 2023
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Session Type: Workshop

Many pretrial programs reside within county probation departments, yet these fields differ operationally and philosophically. Understanding the fundamental differences between pretrial supervision and probation is critical. While probation holds people accountable after conviction, people receiving pretrial services are presumed innocent and the focus is on reasonably assuring that they will return to court and remain arrest-free while they await the resolution of their cases. The training will cover the differences and similarities between pretrial and probation—the definitions, goals, and measurable outcomes—and why it is important to understand them.

SESSION PRESENTERS

Ms. Tanya Anderson
Senior Manager, Center for Effective Public Policy


Ms. Anderson is a Senior Manager with the Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP), where she oversees significant projects for the national initiative Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR). She is a national expert on pretrial services programs and provides training and technical assistance to jurisdictions across the United States to enhance their systems’ administration of pretrial justice and implementation of effective pretrial supportive services. Ms. Anderson conducts training on the responsible use of pretrial assessment tools and the use of strategies that promote success for people on pretrial release. She leads APPR’s Pretrial Practitioner Network, a network of pretrial champions who share their experience and assist jurisdictions in implementing pretrial practices to minimize the harm to those impacted by the criminal legal system. Prior to CEPP, Ms. Anderson was the Pretrial Services Coordinator for the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, providing technical assistance and training for pretrial agencies, the judiciary, and criminal justice stakeholders throughout Illinois. Ms. Anderson began her career in Kane County Court Services in 1989 as a youth counselor. During her tenure with Kane County, she served in various positions in pretrial release and supervision. She is a member of the National Association of Pretrial Services (NAPSA), NAPSA Education Committee, and a former National Institute of Corrections’ Pretrial Executive Network member. Ms. Anderson holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in human resources, with a certificate in organizational leadership from Aurora University (Illinois).


Denise Symdon
Senior Manager, Center for Effective Public Policy


Denise joined CEPP as a Senior Manager in February 2018. Her primary area of expertise is assisting probation and parole agencies to incorporate system changes that are evidence-based or research-informed. Prior to joining CEPP, Ms. Symdon worked in the criminal justice field in Wisconsin for over 34 years, where she held a variety of positions, including Administrator, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Division of Community Corrections; Assistant Administrator, Division of Adult Institutions; and Regional Chief, Division of Community Corrections. She served on the WI Evidence-Based Decision Making (EBDM) State Team and co-chaired their Behavior Management workgroup. Through her work with WI DOC, Ms. Symdon was a champion of incorporating evidence-based and research-informed practices to improve the outcomes of probation and parole supervision.