The mission of the Delaware County Bail Agency/Pre-Trial Services is to ensure community protection by holding those accused of criminal offenses accountable to the conditions of bail set by judges from the Magisterial District Justice and the Court of Common Pleas.
Bail Agency / Bail Interviews
The Bail Agency is responsible for interviewing people charged with criminal offenses to obtain biographical and historical information about the individual and using the Pennsylvania Justice Network (JNET), a secure justice portal providing an online environment for authorized users to access public safety and criminal justice information, and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a computerized index of criminal justice information, to conduct a criminal record check. Bail interviewers use the information obtained during the interview to present bail recommendations to Magisterial District Justices, Hearing Officers, and judges on the Court of Common Pleas. Bail interviews take place just prior to a preliminary arraignment or when an accused is released from detention and required to submit to an interview at the office of the Pretrial Bail Services Unit. In addition to setting bail, the Court may order non-monetary conditions of bail. One of the non-monetary conditions is the installation of an electronic monitoring devices on those individuals who have been determined by the Court to be a higher risk to community safety or a person who may fail to appear for court hearings.
Pretrial Bail Officers help people ordered by the court to be installed on electronic monitoring successfully comply with this non-monetary condition of bail. All monitoring devices run on a Global Positioning System (GPS). No land-line telephones are needed to operate the GPS monitoring system. While on pretrial supervision, no cost is assessed. For additional safety, Judges may order the condition of Electric Home Monitoring (EHM) while a person is on a GPS monitor. If required to be on EHM, the individual must have a place to live and may only leave the location to go to work, seek medical attention, meet with an attorney, go to court appearances, or buy food. Unless emergency medication attention is needed, a person must call the assigned Pretrial Officer to get prior authorization to leave the house. The person installed with a monitor must charge the monitor two hours each day, in the morning and in the evening. Pretrial Officers must be able to contact people installed with a monitor by telephone in case there is a connection problem or monitor strap alert is received.
Pretrial Bail Officers also supervise individuals ordered by the court to make call-in contacts to the office weekly to ensure their connection to the court system. Additionally, Pretrial Bail Officers conduct random drug testing required by the Court and make sure individuals comply with court ordered diagnostic evaluations.
Hearings
The Pretrial Office gathers information that is presented during Bail Habeas, Revocation, Rule Act 150 and PFA (Protection from Abuse) hearings to determine what is necessary to ensure a Defendant's appearance at court proceedings. A representative from the Pretrial Office will examine the nature of charges, with particular attention being paid to whether the offense involves violence or substance abuse. We also take into consideration whether the person was on probation or parole at the time of the arrest, the seriousness of danger to others in the community and evidence of person's character.
The coordinator of the Second Chance Court program identifies treatment options at the time of the individual’s Preliminary Arraignment to ensure implantation of treatment and accountability during the court process. Working with representatives from the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, the Office of Adult Probation and Parole, the Board of Judges and community partners, including medical professionals, the coordinator identifies people in need of substance abuse and mental health supports which will result in better outcomes while they are in the pretrial stage of the criminal justice system. In addition to administering the program, the Pretrial Services coordinator regularly communicates with participants and providers to ensure compliance with the treatment recommendations and follow-up care. The coordinator works with the County’s Diagnostic Services Department to ensure the timely delivery of substance abuse assessments. It is imperative that individuals receive the necessary help at the earliest stage of the process.
The Delaware County Community Restoration of Competency Program’s mission is to restore individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial by providing forensic psychiatric care in a safe and secured community setting. While at CROC, participants attend group and individual sessions, including competency restoration education, life skills, art therapy, and wellness among other therapeutic activities. Wrap-around services are provided to ensure participants are successful upon completion of the program. Participants get help in securing documentation such as birth certificates, identification cards, insurance benefits, help with scheduling necessary medical appointments, various service applications, and finding appropriate housing upon discharge, if necessary. The Community Restoration of Competency Program is funded by the Delaware County Department of Human Services with pass-through dollars from the Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse and coordinated through the efforts of the Pre-Trial/Bail Services Unit.
The Delaware County Mobile Restoration of Competency program provides psycho-legal education services designed to restore the competence of an individual to stand trial. The program is expected to assist individuals who have been determined by a judge to be incompetent to stand trial/proceed, to regain competency so that the individual may proceed to trial/hearing or through the justice system process. The program is also available to assist an individual in maintaining competency as requested by referral source. The goals of the program include psycho-legal education services such as:
The objectives of the program are to assist the individual to be able to function adequately in the following six areas:
The Mobile Restoration of Competency program began accepting referrals the week of April 29, 2024 and was set to work with those referred beginning on Monday May 6, 2024. The program is managed by Merakey’s Mobile Competency Restoration Team working with the Office of Department of Human Services, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the Delaware County Public Defender, the Delaware County Office of Probation and Parole and the Delaware County Pretrial Bail Services Department.
To view criminal records available to the public online, use the following link: https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch
The Bail Agency/Pretrial Bail Office does not handle bail payments or refunds. For questions or concerns about posting bail or obtaining bail refunds, call the Office of Judicial Support at 610-891-5693. The Office of Judicial Support is located on the first floor of the Government Center, 201 W. Front Street, Media, PA 19063. To pay bail online, use the following link: https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/PAePayBail/Index
The local jail in Delaware County, PA is the George W. Hill Correctional Facility (GWHCF) located at 500 Cheyney Road, Thornton, PA 19373. Main Phone: 610-361-3200, ext 200.
For information regarding people detained at GWHCF or to pay bail at the prison, use the following link:
Bail and Releases - George W. Hill Correctional Facility - Delaware County, Pennsylvania (delcopa.gov)