Pretrial supervision is an option for the Court to consider when setting bond conditions for defendants. It provides for the conditional release of a defendant at arraignment if a release on personal recognizance or unsecured appearance bond will not reasonably ensure the appearance of the defendant as required, or will not reasonably ensure the public's safety. Participants are screened for substance abuse problems, mental health, education and employment issues.

OCC utilizes "What Works" theory and "Principles of Effective Supervision" established by the National Institute of Corrections in supervision protocol. It is believed that engaging criminal defendants in programs and services early on, may enhance the opportunity to affect positive case outcomes. Progress in the program is reported to the Judge and the probation agent, for use in sentencing recommendations. In 2006, 759 defendants were supervised, with 92% of the participants successfully completing the program.

Goals of pretrial supervision are:

• Ensure the justice system's integrity by identifying defendants who are appropriate for alternatives to pretrial detention and incarcerative sentences.
• Safeguard public safety and ensure optimum defendant accountability through the development of a supervised pretrial release plan.
• Lower jail population through the provision of alternative services that reduce the unnecessary detention of pretrial defendants.
• Administer a comprehensive psychosocial assessment to determine the defendants' risk of flight, threat to public safety and functional capacity in relationship to education, vocational training, mental health, substance abuse and learning disability.
• Engage the defendant in programs and services that promote the development of critical life skills, provide an intensity of supervision and maintain accountability to the court and community.
• Establish a program evaluation and management information system to monitor defendant activity and evaluate the effectiveness of pretrial case management.