Jail incarceration is a critical issue in the United States, and pretrial detention accounts for a substantial share of local jail populations. Spending prolonged time in jail before trial can have far-reaching consequences for people, disrupting their employment, access to stable housing, and family responsibilities. With support from the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC), Clark County, Nevada, established the Initial Appearance Court to reduce the amount of time between a person’s arrest and their first court appearance. This case study examines the implementation of that strategy.
Why This Matters
Delays between arrest and initial court appearance can result in unnecessary detention, even for people who may ultimately never be charged by prosecutors. These delays increase jail populations, strain local resources, and contribute to disparities in criminal legal system outcomes. Seeing a judge faster allows for earlier release decisions, which can reduce negative outcomes associated with prolonged jail incarceration for individuals and jurisdictions alike.
What We Found
Clark County established the Initial Appearance Court to ensure that people arrested in the county are seen by a judge within 24 hours. Stakeholders reported that the Initial Appearance Court reduced time spent in jail before first appearance, improved efficiency, strengthened inter-agency collaboration, and enabled more individualized bail decisions. Challenges included the combination of a high case volume and the rapid turnaround times associated with the court, staffing demands, and keeping people connected to supports after their release.
How We Did It
This case study draws on three primary data sources: semistructured interviews with 12 key criminal legal system stakeholders in Clark County conducted in 2025; SJC progress reports and other documentation related to the development and implementation of the Initial Appearance Court; and jail population data collected by the Institute for State and Local Governance. We analyzed transcripts from the interviews using NVivo qualitative analysis software, applying a codebook developed to identify themes related to the Initial Appearance Court’s implementation and other local criminal legal system reform efforts.
