White Paper

NYAPSA Standards Letter

Policymakers and practitioners concerned about criminal justice issues have

realized the importance of sound “front-end” decision-making. The actions

taken in the initial stages of any criminal case—the decisions about the release

or detention of an arrested person—can have an enormous bearing on the

outcome of an individual case and, in the aggregate, on the quality and

effectiveness of the jurisdiction’s criminal justice process. The stakes involved

are high; they involve considerations of individual liberty, public safety, and the

integrity of the judicial process. This Fourth Edition of the NYAPSA Release

Standards points the way to improved policy and practice in this crucial area