Pretrial Services Investigator - Special Part-Time

Salary: $33.84 Hourly
Location : Lansing, MI
Job Type: Special Part Time
Job Number:
Department: Circuit Court
Opening Date: 02/13/2026
Bargaining Unit: COURT PROF

Description

** Applications are accepted until there are sufficient numbers of qualified applications or qualified candidate has been identified. The position could possibly close at any time.***

Under the general supervision of the Deputy Court Administrator, interviews persons arrested for felonies to provide bond recommendations, completes a risk/needs assessment, and recommends conditions of release. Monitors and supervises felony defendants who are released on conditional bonds and initiates court action of any misconduct. Maintains liaison collaboration between the defendant, the courts, the Prosecutor, the Office of the Public Defender, and other components of the criminal justice system.

Essential Functions

Interviews and gathers information on background, length of time in the community, ties to the community, and other relevant data from defendants housed in the County and City of Lansing jails or who have been released on bond. Verifies sources of income during initial face-to-face interviews.

Verifies information gathered through criminal history checks utilizing programs including Court View or other case management system, Judicial Information Services (JIS), Judicial Data Warehouse (JDW), Statewide Records Management System (SRMS), Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) reports, and other sources to determine criminal history, status in the criminal justice system and to assess the likelihood of pretrial misconduct. Maintains current LEIN Operator certification as mandated by the Michigan State Police.

Uses independent judgment and discretion to interpret collected data; prepares and submits a bond recommendation report to the Judge regarding conditional release and risk factors. Conducts a risk/needs assessment to determine the likelihood of failure to appear and the risk to public safety. Identifies appropriate referrals and other suitable conditions of release.

Uses professional judgment to employ specific Risk Assessment measures to screen clients for participation in the Office of Community Corrections (OCC) high-risk supervision specialty program. Initiates, prepares, and submits timely full-background investigative referral packets for qualified defendants. Evaluates eligible defendants and submits referrals for potential placement into the Felony Mental Health Court grant program.

Schedules reporting dates for defendants to ensure compliance with risk-level determined reporting frequencies, records all relevant notes and information pertaining to the pretrial supervision of the defendant, and processes relevant records using departmental standard reporting techniques.

Updates and maintains pretrial supervision records to reflect the most recent contact information for all defendants in supervision status. Ensures that the Court, Prosecuting Attorney, Office of the Public Defender or retained counsel have access to all current contact information.

Uses professional judgment and discretion to identify and assess the defendant's needs in areas including physical and mental health, substance abuse, employment counseling and school enrollment. Prepares and provides community resource referral information. Writes and submits related reports for judicial review.

Actively monitors and supervises defendants; verifies they understand the conditions of their pre-trial release. Notifies defendants of scheduled court dates and maintains regular contact from pre-trial status through to adjudication. Makes every effort to ensure that the defendant continues to comply with all conditions of release.

Authors Pretrial Supervision Summary Reports that encapsulate defendants' relevant supervision and monitoring information for the Judge's consideration, review and action.

Prepares and submits a report to the Judge if the defendant is non-compliant with terms and conditions of release. Initiates show cause notices, appears in court, and provides testimony and evidence of non-compliance. Makes recommendations to the Court to continue, modify or revoke bond.

Assists Circuit Court and Ingham County Jail Administration, during ongoing jail overcrowding events, in reviewing and recommending defendants who have not been sentenced or entered into a plea agreement to be considered for potential conditional release.

Responds to requests for information from the defendant and or counsel, court staff, jail personnel, and the Prosecutor's office. Prepares various reports, forms, documents and other correspondence, including out of state travel requests, employment requests, and audit reports for the Judge or Judicial Staff upon their request.

On a statewide and county level, collaborates with Specialty Court programs and other intra/interdepartmental Pretrial and Probation offices; shares allowable information regarding the supervision, pre-trial compliance and case…