FAQ’s
What is a Help Desk?
Watch this video from the Indiana Supreme Court.
I have a question about pretrial justice programs. How do I get it answered?
This site was created as a resource to support the pretrial justice community. If you have a question related to pretrial justice issues, send it to us through the “Ask a Question” link located at the top of the page. Pretrial Justice Institute staff will respond to your question within three business days.
I am trying to find information on a specific topic but I don’t know which category to look under. Is there another way to find the information?
Yes. If you have a specific item you are trying to learn more about, simply use our Search box, located at the top of each page. Enter the word or phrase in the white box and hit the Search button. There is also an Advanced Search button.
Sometimes I get a pop-up box that asks for my user name and password. What should I do?
An irritating glitch when using Microsoft SharePoint on the World Wide Web, this may happen from time to time, especially when you try to open a document. We are sorry for the inconvenience. All you need to do is close the box and proceed. The documents you wish to open should open without a log in requirement. If you experience any difficulties, please report this under Ask a Question.
I have a new publication I think you would like. Can I send it to you?
Yes! The Pretrial Justice Institute welcomes any reports, articles, handbooks, audio/video clips, or other documents that you would like to suggest for public sharing. Simply click on the “Suggest a Document” button located at the top of the page. All suggested documents will be reviewed by staff and considered for posting.
I am not able to open a document in .pdf or .doc form. Can you help?
- .doc: If you do not have Microsoft Word, you may download Microsoft Viewer. This allows you to open, view, and print Word forms.
- .pdf: If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your machine to view PDF formats, you can download it for free.
Can this site help me with my individual case?
The Pretrial Justice Institute is the nation’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring informed pretrial decision making for safe communities. When someone is arrested, their release or detention pending trial should be based on a thoughtful, informed assessment of whether they will stay crime-free while on release and return to court for trial. The Pretrial Justice Institute advocates for fair and effective pretrial policies and practices that eliminate inappropriate detention, optimize diversion from prosecution, and maintain community safety. We provide information, technical assistance and training to criminal justice officials and community leaders at the federal, state and local levels. The Pretrial Justice Institute does not provide direct services to defendants or their families, nor arrange for those services to be provided. The Pretrial Justice Institute does not become involved in individual legal matters nor provide legal advice of any kind. It is recommended you work directly with your assigned probation officer or defense counsel to best resolve your concerns.