OUR PRIORITY IS TO PREVENT THE CLIENT FROM INCARCERATION.

If this is not possible, our aim is to have the client released as early as possible into a re-entry plan that will prevent recidivism.

Attorneys represent clients at county and state detainer hearings and at county and state parole or probation violation hearings before judges and before the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.

The unit represents our clients vertically through our pre-trial diversionary programs to post trial, early parole to unique re-entry programs. And continues to work with our clients once paroled to alleviate any social service or legal challenges throughout the duration of their sentence.

Through collaboration with criminal justice shareholders, the unit creates, improves, and expands diversionary programs as alternatives to mass incarceration. While make ensuring that our clients’ interests are represented in those meetings and reflected in the policies of those programs.

Our attorneys and our legal assistants visit the clients in custody, attend their court hearings and work with them upon release.

The unit reviews every client that is committed for a county prison sentence to appraise any possible reentry programs that they qualify for and to determine their earliest possible release from custody.

Our legal assistants are trained to make this evaluation on every client, record the assessment, and then follow through with any necessary paperwork and investigation for the earliest parole possible date for each individual client.

We file petitions to terminate probation early, where appropriate.

Our attorneys and legal assistants search carefully for all clients who can benefit from our many programs no matter the phase of their cases.

Our Pretrial Programs

  • The Choice is Yours
  • Future Forward
  • Accelerated Misdemeanor Program
  • DUI Treatment Court
  • County Intermediate Punishment
  • Crash Court with Detainer Removal
  • State Intermediate Punishment

Our Post-Trial Programs

  • Early Parole Petitions
  • New Leash On Life
  • Second Chance
  • Roots 2 Reentry
  • Wings
  • Work Release
  • Forensic Intensive Recovery
  • House Arrest
  • 407 program
  • State Reentry

The Choice is Yours (TCY)

The Choice is Yours is an innovative alternative-to-incarceration program that diverts non-violent felony drug offenders away from prison and toward positive social services and support.

TCY strives to reduce recidivism rates and address the problem of prison overcrowding without compromising public safety.

In partnership with JEVS Human Services TCY’s goals are to:

  • Reduce the likelihood of recidivism among TCY
    participants;
  • Reduce state and city costs by cutting the number of trials among the TCY target
    population
  • Reduce costs associated with pre-trial and post-trial incarceration; and
  • Provide participants with the skills and training necessary to become productive, employable individuals
    without the stigma of a criminal conviction.

Heroin will be considered on a case by case basis (following evaluation to determine non-users).

For More Information, Contact The Following:

Byron Cotter

Chief of the Parole, Probation, and Alternative Sentencing Unit

Victoria Sanita

Assistant Chief of the Parole, Probation, and Alternative Sentencing Unit