In this enlightening study, the authors implement a unique research approach to offer a greater understanding of policy reform of pretrial release and detention practices in the criminal courts in Boston, Miami, and Phoenix.

It takes only one look at today's news page or one listen to the news shows to understand that, clearly, there is no shortage of kingdom challenges for the twenty-first-century church at large, for Christian organizations and agencies, or for us as individuals. In the face of such enormous problems as the rise of pagan world religions, AIDS, sexual abuse and trafficking, urban poverty, and ethnic and religious conflict, what can you and your fellow Christians do?

According to the diverse group of contributors in this book, you can choose to get involved, sharing not only the kingdom burdens but the kingdom opportunities with other brothers and sisters in Christ so that no Christian, no church, no ministry, no nation has to confront these challenges alone. But how can you join in doing the work you are called to do? The superb analysis, biblical solutions, and reality-tested ideas put forth in this book by some of the leaders of the global Reformed and evangelical church will show you.

Coming from the fields of religion, education, medicine, broadcasting, psychology, urban ministry, and missions, these fellow Christians are encountering the challenges daily. Their suggestions will give you a grasp of not only what is necessary to be a global evangelical Christian today but how to respond to the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of others around the world-and perhaps in your own backyard.

The Need for Reform: Bail, Pretrial Release, and Detention: The Critical Need for Judicial Reform. The Development and Implementation of Voluntary Guidelines in Criminal Justice. Evidence about Guidelines. The Pretrial Systems in Three Urban Courts: The Courts in Boston, Dade County, and Maricopa County. Design of the Research. The Consequences of Bail Decisions in the Three Courts. The Nature of Bail Decision Making in Maricopa County. The Nature of Bail Decision Making in Dade County. The Nature of Decision Making in Boston Municipal Court. Visibility, Equity, Rationality, and Effectiveness in the Three Court Systems. Construction of Decision Guidelines for Pretrial Release: Consideration of Alternative Decision Making Models. The Construction of Bail-Pretrial Release Decision Guidelines in the Courts. Estimating the Impact of the Guidelines. Implementation and Evaluation of Judicial Decision Guidelines: Implementation and Evaluation. The Implementation of Pretrial Release Guidelines in Maricopa County. The Implementation of Pretrial Release Guidelines (`Uniform Bond Standards') in Dade County. Conclusion: The Promise of Pretrial Release Guidelines: The Promise of Decision Guidelines for Pretrial Release. Postscript: Pretrial Release Guidelines and the Passage of Time. Appendix. Index.