The report provides an overview of pretrial risk assessment in California. According to the report, pretrial services' four goals are maximizing individuals' right to liberty, public safety, court appearances, and equity. (1) Forty-nine of California's 58 counties use pretrial risk assessment tools alongside bail. (2) A risk assessment tool is only one component of informed pretrial decision making. (3) Equity is an ongoing concern. (4) Counties may face data challenges in testing a tool's accuracy and equity. (5) Transparent decision making is essential. Counties in CA utilize 1 out of 5 different pretrial risk assessment tools. Overall, 18 countries operate under the CPRA, 17 under ORAS, 4 under COMPAS, and 2 under the PSA tool. PSA predicts three outcomes separately: failure to appear, new arrest, and recent violent arrest. However, VPRAI, ORAS, and COMPASS do not indicate failure to appear and recent arrest separately. ORAS and VPRAI predict failure to appear or new arrest, while COMPAS predicts any new felony arrest or failure to appear in court. One central concern involves the fact that assessment tools use criminal history information. These metrics do not only reflect individual behavior—but they also reflect the operations of the criminal justice system. This report focuses on ways to improve existing pretrial service systems and practices, as well as considerations for evaluating whether pretrial programs meet local policy objectives.

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank. PPIC is dedicated to informing and improving public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research.

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^{Keywords: California, Report, Recommendations, Pretrial Risk Assessment in California, Public Policy Institute of California}

• Risk Assessment