Off Paper - Episode 13: "Reentry Begins at Arrest": A Conversation with Chief U.S. Pretrial Services Officer Christine Dozier (Ret.)

Chief U.S. Pretrial Services Officer Christine Dozier of the District of New Jersey has become known for her unique philosophy that “reentry begins at arrest.” Chief Dozier served in that role for 15 years before retiring in October 2019. During that time she transformed her agency from being a traditional provider of pretrial services, to one on the cutting edge of innovation not just in pretrial work, but in in criminal justice more generally. Chief Dozier’s approach has enabled the District of New Jersey’s pretrial services office to become a leader in release rates and successful outcomes for individuals on pretrial supervision. She has taken a systems view, illustrating that an individual’s success on pretrial release can have a positive impact on their sentence, reentry to the community following incarceration, and post-conviction supervision. Host Mark Sherman talks with Chief Dozier about the present and future of federal pretrial services, and what she learned as a leader over the course of her tenure.