BCPS/Pretrial Services
BCPS serves as the County pretrial agency and operates the Berks County Community Release (bail) Program. BCPS also assists County government agencies by providing personnel and support to a number of criminal justice programs.

Information and Assistance to the Courts - BCPS/Pretrial Services conducts post-arrest interviews and assessments of criminal defendants prior to their preliminary arraignment and furnishes the verified results to the judiciary. BCPS helps to alleviate jail overcrowding and maintain community safety by providing pretrial supervision of defendants who are released on an “unsecured” basis by the judiciary.

The Community Release Bail Program provides supervised release for arrestees who would otherwise remain in jail while awaiting trial. The program is designed to ensure that the economic circumstances of a person will not subject him/her to punishment before trial.

Cooperative Program Assistance

BCPS developed and participates in the Mental Illness Intensive Supervised Release (MIISR) program. The team consists of key agencies in the justice system that meet to identify pretrial-status inmates detained in the Berks County Jail System with mental health issues that can be released into the community with a proper treatment/supervision plan developed by the team and presented to the Courts.

BCPS administers the Level of Service Inventory (LSI) project . The LSI is a nationally validated risk/needs assessment tool for criminal defendants. BCPS assesses individuals who were released from jail on pretrial release, who participate in many of the County’s diversionary programs.

BCPS provides personnel and support for the Berks County Intermediate Punishment Program, a jail diversionary program that involves intensive community supervision and counseling for offenders and for the Berks County Treatment Courts program that provides an intensive combination of Court-ordered treatment and regular interaction with the Treatment Court Judge and his team.

BCPS/Pretrial Services serves as County Bail Agency under the direction of the Berks County Court of Common Pleas The Hon. Jeffrey L. Schmehl, President Judge.

Funding for the Community Release Program is provided by the Berks County Board of Commissioners.

Mark C. Scott, Chair
Kevin S. Barnhardt
Christian Y. Leinbach

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday - 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

On call - Nights/ Weekends/ Holidays

24 Hour Bail-Related Service - 610-478-6920