Welcome to appf.org - Association of Pretrial Professionals of Florida
The definitive resource for Pretrial Services in Florida
Content Updated July 13th, 2007

 

2007 Conference Cancelled

APPF Members and Pretrial Practitioners - The executive members of the APPF Board of Directors have made a decision to cancel the 2007 APPF Training Conference.  The Conference is being canceled due to lack of registrations.  In speaking with Directors and Managers from throughout the state the recent legislative action to reduce property taxes has resulted in many counties having to freeze all travel and training immediately.  This extremely difficult decision was made in what we hope is in the best interest of this organization.  For those of you who were planning on attending I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause you.  Please make certain that you cancel your hotel reservations.

 
 
ON THIS PAGE
Accreditation for Agencies
 
 
Help Wanted
 
 
The President's Minute
 
 
New Orange County BRC
 
 
2006 Conference Review
 
     
 
RELATED LINKS
APPF Board
 
 
(FCAC) Forida Corrections Accreditation Commission
 
 
 
 

New Bond Law Adds Costs & Inmates to Counties
 
Help Wanted
APPF Board Positions:
The Following Positions are Open for Election:

Vice President
Communications Director
Have an open position at your program? 
Please contact us and we'll get your opening listed on the appf.org website right away to help you fill it as soon as possible.
 

Article from Market Intelligence Digest. 11/03/06. No. 195
   

More people are opting to stay overnight in jail these days. A new state law, which some are derisively calling the Bail Bondsman relief Act of 2006, has driven up the cost of bonding out of jail for people charged with more than one crime. The effect, say jailers, attorneys and judges, is that rather than bonding out, more people are being forced to wait overnight to go before a judge to get the same bond they would have been offered at the jail before the law went into effect.
   
Accreditation Update!

by Jeff Kilpatrick, President - The Association of Pretrial Professionals (APPF) and the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission (FCAC) completed a three year process and have entered into a partnership that will allow Pretrial programs in Florida to be accredited. Accreditation is defined as a process of: (1) evaluation of an institution or education program to determine whether it meets the standards set up by accrediting body, and (2) if the institution or program meets the standards, granting recognition of the fact. Accreditation is a process performed by a non-governmental agency at the request of the institution or education program.

Generally, accreditation is the process by which a facility becomes officially certified as providing services of a reasonably good quality, so that the public can trust in the quality of its service. An accrediting agency evaluates an entire organization in terms of its mission and the agency’s criteria. The organization is accredited as a whole. The accrediting agency evaluates such things as governance and administration, stability, admissions and service, resources, effectiveness and relationships with internal and external constituencies.
 
The President's Minute

Happy New Year. I hope everyone had a safe holiday season with their family, friends and loved ones. It is with great sadness that I announce the resignation of David Scharf, Broward County Day Reporting Manager, from your APPF Board of Directors. David has been involved with the APPF Board for years and he has been your Vice President for the past five years. David has been the driving force behind the accreditation process for Pretrial practitioners. David was also instrumental in the successful APPF Conferences in Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Bonita Springs and Hutchinson Island. On a personal level, David and I have developed a friendship and I found him to be someone who I could reach out to whenever I needed assistance with a problem and I will truly miss working with him on this Board. David thanks for all you have done to make this association better.

On a much happier note, I want to publicly congratulate once again, Elwood York, Director 16th Judicial Circuit Monroe County (Key West) on being elected to the position of Southeast Regional Director for NAPSA. I know that Elwood will do an outstanding job in this position as well as in his position as the Regional Coordinator for Region II. Congratulations!!

The Board of Directors is currently working on making preparations for the 2007 Annual Pretrial Administrators Summit. Once location and dates have been confirmed, the information will be posted here on the APPF web site. The Board of Directors is also working on making preparations for the 2007 Annual Training Conference. Please take a minute and think about who is deserving of special recognition at this Conference. Nominate a coworker or fellow pretrial practitioner for the Diane Houle Professional Excellence Award or the APPF Honorary Lifetime Membership Award. The Diane Houle Professional Excellence Award is presented to an APPF member who has dedicated their service to their profession and the association. The Honorary Lifetime Membership Award is presented to a member who has dedicated their service to this association. If there is something you would like to see on the Conference agenda or if you have any suggestions or ideas for Conference presenters, please email me your thoughts and ideas. My email address is jhk@alachuacounty.us.

I recently had the opportunity to be part of the pilot group to participate in the NAPSA Pretrial Certification Course. Peter Kiers and the others involved in the development and implementation of this course are to be commended for all their hard work. I encourage each of you to take the time to take this course once it becomes available. I am certain everyone who takes the time to take this course will become more proficient in their job while bringing more professionalism to our chosen field. The Pretrial Certification Course for the individual pretrial practitioners works well with the Pretrial Accreditation process for the programs.
 
 
New Orange County Booking & Release Center


Orange County Corrections is nearing completion of a new 300,000 plus square feet Booking and Release Center (BRC). This is the second phase of a two-phase expansion project begun more than five years ago, and it is expected that the new facility will be ready for use within the next few months. This facility took more than two years of research and design. This massive space will accommodate a variety of functions performed by many different departments, including the Judiciary, State Attorney, Public Defender, Clerk of Court, Court Administration, Corrections Health Services, and a multitude of internal Corrections units and sections, including Pretrial Services (PTS). Designing the new BRC was a challenge, for it not only has to function as a secure jail, but must also allow public access for the purposes of observing court and paying bonds.

The BRC will have 592 authorized jail beds, broken down into 12 dormitories based upon inmate needs. There will be 280 beds in four dormitories assigned to inmates who have been to their initial court appearance and are unable, for a variety of reasons, to be released from jail. These inmates will be assigned a classification custody level, have a health services screening, and go through a jail orientation process. Combined, these steps will take approximately two to four days, at which time the inmates will be moved to permanent housing in one of the Department’s five housing facilities. The BRC will also have 115 beds in four housing dormitories assigned to those inmates needing some kind of medical treatment. Providing treatments such as dialysis, and housing inmates suffering from airborne diseases in negative air cells, these housing units will save Orange County taxpayers a great deal of money yearly. If these treatments were not provided in-house, inmates would have to be transported and supervised by one to two Corrections Officers (based on the custody level of the inmate) at area hospitals. Lastly, the BRC will have 197 beds in four housing dormitories assigned to inmates in need of some type of mental health treatment. The specific housing assignments will be based on the acuity of the inmate’s mental illness.