State audit finds interest in expanding pretrial services but data gaps, disparities and funding barriers slow adoption

The State Auditor’s Office told the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee on Jan. 7, 2026, that many Washington courts would like to expand pretrial services but face barriers including inconsistent data collection, funding constraints and local resource shortages.

"We have four key audit results," said Kevan Zadeh, the principal performance auditor who oversaw the review, listing local interest but barriers, variation and potential disparities in use, a lack of high-quality accessible data, and research-backed strategies jurisdictions can use to expand services.

The auditors selected 14 courts across seven counties to study how courts use pretrial services and whether the services align with leading practices. Erin Catterlin summarized the legal context, noting that state law and court rules presume release on personal recognizance and that no state rule requires courts to offer pretrial services, leaving the decision to independent courts.

Claire Nakayama, who led the audit’s data analysis, said auditors received usable pretrial data from only three of the 14 courts (Spokane Municipal Court, Spokane Superior Court and Yakima Superior Court) because many…