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H 4720

Pretrial Intervention Program eligibility

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by John McCravy and 5 co-sponsors

H 4720 expands South Carolina's Pretrial Intervention Program eligibility, allowing more defendants to avoid prosecution through diversion to rehabilitative conditions rather than criminal trial.

Effective date 05/19/26
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Bill Summary · H 4720

Legislative bill overview

H 4720 expands eligibility criteria for South Carolina's Pretrial Intervention (PTI) Program, which allows eligible defendants to avoid prosecution by completing rehabilitative conditions. The bill modifies which offense categories and defendant backgrounds qualify for diversion from the criminal justice system through this program.

Why is this important

Pretrial intervention programs can reduce recidivism, lower incarceration costs, and provide alternatives to prosecution for lower-level or first-time offenders. Expanding eligibility affects who gets a second chance versus traditional prosecution, with implications for criminal justice system capacity, public safety outcomes, and individual defendants' life trajectories.

Potential points of contention

  • Victim advocacy concerns: Victims' rights groups may worry that expanded PTI eligibility reduces accountability or removes cases from the criminal process prematurely
  • Public safety debate: Disagreement over whether broadening eligibility protects public safety or risks allowing unsuitable defendants to avoid prosecution
  • Fiscal impact uncertainty: Questions about whether the program reduces overall criminal justice costs or simply shifts expenses to supervision/monitoring resources
  • Prior offense handling: How the bill treats defendants with previous criminal history—whether it includes or excludes certain prior convictions—may be contentious

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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