Pretrial is the time period after an individual has been arrested but before they have been convicted of a crime. During this time period, an officer will gather information about the defendant through interviews and record checks. The officer reports the information to the judge and makes recommendations regarding detention and/or conditions of release.

At a detention hearing, the judge will decide whether the defendant will be released on pretrial supervision or detained. If the defendant is granted pretrial release, the officer will supervise the defendant to ensure they are not a danger to another person or the community, the conditions of their release are met, and they attend all required court hearings.

Pretrial supervision ends if the defendant is found not guilty at trial or the charges are dropped. If the defendant is found guilty or pleads guilty, the officer will typically continue supervising the defendant until their sentence begins.