(a) The Department of Correction shall administer the provisions of this chapter that are not exclusively within the jurisdiction of the judiciary.

Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 11 Sec. 2114

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.

(b) The Commissioner of the Department of Correction may employ such staff as may be necessary to implement this chapter.

(c) The Department of Correction may investigate the release of persons charged with criminal offenses and otherwise advise and assist the courts in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. The Department of Correction shall provide pretrial supervision to released defendants when ordered by the court and shall report such defendants’ compliance or noncompliance with conditions of pretrial release when necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. The Department of Correction may request modification of conditions of pretrial release. Each court shall establish rules and procedures for timely disposition of reports of noncompliance with conditions of pretrial release and requests for modification of conditions of pretrial release.

(d) The Department of Correction shall have the power necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, including the following:

(1) The Department of Correction may adopt standard conditions for the supervision of defendants ordered to pretrial supervision and may modify conditions of supervision as necessary to address technical or minor violations of conditions of pretrial release. The imposition of standard or modified conditions shall be limited to those conditions necessary to provide a reasonable assurance of the appearance of the defendant at court proceedings, the protection of the community, victims, witnesses or any other person, and to maintain the integrity of the judicial process. These conditions shall apply when not contrary to any other specific conditions imposed by the court.

(2) The Department of Correction may adopt standards concerning pretrial supervision through home confinement. The Department of Correction is authorized to supervise defendants released pretrial on home confinement without the use of any specific electronic equipment, so long as sufficient and reasonable methods for ensuring compliance with the terms of house arrest are employed.

(3) The Department of Correction is authorized to use electronic monitoring systems and any new or emerging monitoring technology that will assist in the supervision of defendants released pretrial.

(e) The court, when notified by the Department of Correction of a violation of pretrial release, may issue a summons or a warrant for the arrest of a defendant for violating any condition of pretrial release.

(f) The Commissioner of the Department of Correction or any probation officer, acting in performance of his or her duties, under exigent circumstances may arrest a supervised defendant without a warrant when in the judgment of the Commissioner or probation officer the supervised defendant has violated any material condition of pretrial release. The Commissioner or probation officer may deputize any other officer with power of arrest to do so by giving that officer a written statement setting forth in what manner the supervised defendant has in the judgment of the Commissioner or the probation officer violated a material condition of pretrial release. When an arrest is made by a probation officer or the Commissioner, the officer shall present to the detaining authority a written statement of the circumstances of violation.

(g) Upon arrest and detention, the Commissioner or probation officer shall notify the court of jurisdiction forthwith and shall submit to the court a written report showing in what manner the defendant has violated the conditions of pretrial release.

(h) When the Commissioner or probation officer alleges noncompliance with material conditions of pretrial release, pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, a probation officer shall take the defendant directly before the court of jurisdiction if that court is in session or take the defendant before a magistrate. The hearing may be summary in nature.

(i) The Criminal Justice Council shall submit a report to the General Assembly on an annual basis, beginning January 30, 2019, regarding the modernization of the pretrial system, including a report of data related to pretrial success rates.

11 Del. C. 1953, § ?2114; 56 Del. Laws, c. 231, § ?1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § ?1; 79 Del. Laws, c. 36, § ?1; 81 Del. Laws, c. 200, § 1;