CASS COUNTY
COURT &PRETRIAL SERVICES
CONTACT
Hillary, Hartoin, Director
Email: hillary.hartoin@co.cass.in.us
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Allison Campbell, Case Manager
Email: allison.campbell@co.cass.in.us
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Robert Baszner, Case Manager
Email: robert.baszner@co.cass.in.us
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ADDRESS:
200 Court Park, Rm 215
Cass County Government Building
Logansport, IN 46947
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FAX: 574-722-5501
HOURS
Monday - Friday
6:00 am - 4:00 pm
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“Serving the community by using evidence-based practices and needs-based supervision that prioritizes public safety, maximizes court appearance and reduces recidivism, while protecting the presumption of innocence.”
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ABOUT US
MISSION
VISION
Established in 2018, Cass County Pretrial Services serves the Courts and Community by using evidence -based practices to supervise clients awaiting trial without the economic means to post traditional monetary bond, providing an alternative to incarceration, while honoring community values, prioritizing public safety, maximizing court appearance, and reducing recidivism.
Arrestees are evaluated using the IRAS-PAT and placed at a supervision level that matches their risk level and identified needs when appropriate and while protecting public safety. In lieu of remaining incarcerated while their case is pending, clients are allowed to return to their families and employment. In addition to assistance with court appearances, clients are given the opportunity to participate in programming and treatment. Cass County Court & Pretrial Services has served over 200 clients and at any given time supervises between 90-115 clients in the program.
To serve the community by using evidence-based practices to assess and supervise defendants in order to assist the Courts in making pretrial release decisions that prioritize public safety, maximize court appearance and reduce recidivism, while protecting the presumption of innocence.
GOALS
​Cass County Pretrial Services strives to achieve the "3-Ms:"
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Maximize Public Safety
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Maximize Court Appearance
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Maximize Release
Protect the constitutional presumption of innocence by helping to reduce the pretrial incarceration of those who do not have the ability to pay a traditional money bond when appropriate, while increasing the reliability of guilty pleas and reducing the negative effects of pretrial detention on recidivism.
Help reduce jail overpopulation and expenses by promoting appropriate pretrial release that prioritizes community safety by reserving jail resources for those who pose a danger to public safety and the community.
Utilize evidence based practices to accurately assess risk based on objective factors and promote pretrial justice when making pretrial decisions to best meet the needs of the community.
COURT SERVICES
In April 2021, Cass County Pretrial Services transitioned to its own independent department: Cass County Court & Pretrial Services. Expanding the department into Court Services included the added duties of assisting the Courts in writing grants and obtaining new funding opportunities, serving as a liaison for all court related program and activities, facilitating communication with the IOCS and IDOC, jail analysis & programming, mental health services, and quality assurance. Pretrial Services remains the primary focus of the new department with a renewed focus on providing supervision that not only promotes public safety and court appearance, but that also identifies the clients’ needs and connects them services and programming that produce positive outcomes that last beyond the pretrial stage. We believe in "Pretrial with a Purpose."
CERTIFICATION
The Board of Directors of the Judicial Conference of Indiana adopted the Pretrial Services Rules in December of 2019 that form the basis for voluntary certification for Indiana counties implementing pretrial best practices. Cass County Pretrial Services was the 11th county to be provisionally certified by the Indiana Office of Court Services on October 1, 2021 and we are excited to announce that we received full certification on April 11, 2022.
HOW DOES PRETRIAL RELEASE WORK IN
CASS COUNTY?
The Pretrial Director interviews every person booked into the Cass County Jail within 24 hours of his or her arrest and evaluates them using the IRAS-PAT, a validated, statewide risk assessment that measures an arrestee’s risk of re-offending and failing to appear. Based on the risk assessment results and other factors, such as criminal history, employment and residential stability, a matrix is used to aid in making a recommendation to Court regarding the inmate’s potential release. The Pretrial Release Recommendation is provided to the Judge, Prosecutor and Public Defender and a determination regarding participation and release to Pretrial Services is made at arraignment or a Defendant’s initial hearing.
SUPERVISION
If an arrestee in placed in the Pretrial Release program they are required to report to Pretrial Services within 24 hours of their release and placed at a level of supervision that matches their risk level and individual needs. Cass County Court & Pretrial Services is committed to evidenced-based and needs focused supervision that promotes public safety and positive outcomes for clients. Supervision requirements include, but are not limited to making all court appearances, not committing a new criminal offense, text message reminders, office and telephone appointments, random drug screens, home visits and/or electronic monitoring.
TREATMENT OPPORTUNITIES
We collaborate with the CPCC Therapist, the Four County Criminal Justice Liaison and other local providers to connect clients with virtual peer support recovery groups, counseling, recovery coaching & IOP. Clients are offered assistance applying for HIP & obtaining presumptive coverage to cover or make medical treatment and counseling services more affordable or free and can also participate in key programming prior to sentencing, including domestic violence and anger management classes. Pretrial Services also offers employment assistance by working with local temp and staffing agencies and facilitates the a virtual HSE program where clients can work on obtaining their HSE while enrolled in the program. Participation is always voluntary per pretrial release guidelines.
WHEN IS MY
NEXT HEARING?
RESOURCES
DOCUMENTS
Court Appearance is essential to your success while on Pretrial Release. Look up your upcoming court hearings and learn about the status of your case using myCase.
Indiana Office of Court Services
Pretrial Site
PRETRIAL DATA DASHBOARD
Pretrial Services is founded upon evidence-based practices that requires daily data analysis and continual monitoring of performance measures set forth by the Indiana Supreme Court Pretrial Committee. We continually monitor our data and metrics to ensure practices and performance support both public safety and maximized release. We are proud to introduce a new data-dashboard where the community and stakeholders can find real-time program metrics and measures. For more information and data click here to view our past reports.
Appearance Rate: the percentage of defendants who attended all court hearings during their pretrial period
Safety Rate: the percentage of defendants who were not charged with a new offense during their pretrial period
Success Rate: the percentage of defendants who have not received a violation, FTA, or new offense while under supervision
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Violation Rate: the percentage of defendants who received a violation pending violations are included in calculations
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Programming Participation Rate: the percent of clients participating in voluntary programming and services, such as individual counseling, anger management classes and substance abuse programming.
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Cost Savings: Using the $40 daily per diem used to house an inmate outside the jail, Pretrial Services is currently diverting $5,040 per day in county incarceration expenses. ​
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POLICY & STAKEHOLDER TEAM
Pretrial Services reports directly to the Cass County Judiciary and has a local policy and stakeholder team that meets on a regular basis to collaboratively develop and approve local pretrial practices and review program performance metrics. Said meetings are held quarterly in conjunction with the Cass/Pulaski Advisory Board Meetings.
Members include:
Lisa L. Swaim, Judge, Superior Court 2, Supervising Judge
Stephen R. Kitts, II, Judge, Cass Circuit Court
James Muehlhausen, Judge, Cass Superior Court 1
Hillary Hartoin, Court & Pretrial Services Director & Chair
Dave Wegner, Director of Cass/Pulaski Community Corrections & Vice Chair
Noah Schafer, Cass County Prosecutor
Sheryl Pherson, Chief Public Defender
Ed Schroder, Cass County Sheriff
Will Scott, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer
Mike Stajduhar, Cass County Commissioner
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TESTIMONIALS
As a quality assurance measure, we collect anonymous electronic client satisfaction surveys via text at the end of supervision and in quarterly snapshots. Below is a sampling of feedback and client testimonials we have received.
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"It has been a very fair program and couldn't say a negative thing about it. They do a wonderful job for me."
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"I appreciate the support. I have been treated very kindly. I have hope!"
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"I have had both the male and the female officer and I have zero complaints about either one of them. They are a positive influence and make sure that we know if we need anything even on our unscheduled days they encourage us to call in for anything really, They don't feel fake. But I think what I respect the most about them given the amount of people that they have to deal with. They show an amazing amount of empathy while not making emotional decisions."
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"Pretrial has really helped me out not only in my case but my life as well"
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"The most important thing to me is that she feels like she cares I'm not just a number."
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“The time and attention they have put towards me shows that they actually care and want to see me progress and for that I thank them!”
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“The best program I have been part of that has been offered by the state. With the best people running it. I couldn't ask for them to show me or do any more for me than what they do. It is one time the state has had someone make me feel that they have act out of true care and concern and not just acted cause it was there job and or it was standard protocol . All you ever want is to be treated fairly and with some respect and this program gives you both. “
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