DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH HELPS COURTS MAKE DECISIONS
Over the past several months, the new Platte County Court Pretrial Program (CPP) has been growing rapidly as one of the State of Missouri’s newest pilot locations under the Pretrial Services Expansion Program.
The program is provided at no cost to either the county or the participants and is currently sponsored by the state.
Launched on May 1, 2025, the program was developed after a series of meetings with local stakeholders that included: prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, court staff, and mental health professionals.
The program is supervised by the court and is led by administrator Katherine McDowell and deputy administrator Kenzie Clement.
Initially serving Platte County Circuit Court Divisions 3 and 5, the program has since expanded to provide pretrial services across all judicial divisions in Platte County.
This unified approach offers a more efficient, consistent experience for both program participants and court officials, court officials say.
One of the key functions of the CPP is conducting Pretrial Service Assessments (PSAs) which are comprehensive background and statistical reports generated for many new criminal cases.
These assessments analyze factors such as a defendant’s history of failure to appear and prior convictions, and evaluate the likelihood of future noncompliance or reoffending if released on bond. This data-driven approach helps the court make informed release decisions and enhances community safety by identifying appropriate levels of supervision.
For those released on bond and placed under CPP supervision, the program offers tools and support designed to promote accountability and long-term success. The primary tool, Total Court Services (TCS), is a secure mobile application that provides electronic location monitoring, court date reminders and 24/7 communication with pretrial administrators.
Through TCS, participants can stay connected, access resources, and seek timely assistance when needed.
The program has been developed and directly supervised by Judge Quint Shafer. Judge Shafer stated: “This program is sponsored by the state with the full support of the Missouri Supreme Court. It has received broad local support because it is not about just releasing people from jail on a pretrial basis. Instead, it is about releasing the right people from jail based upon acceptable risk factors and appropriate input while being coupled with limited supervision of each defendant during the pendency of their case.”
The Pretrial Administration Office is located at 400 Main Street, Platte City, MO 64079, and can be contacted at (816) 858-3483 or via email at plattecountypretrialservices@courts.mo.gov.
