Which of the following is a typical tool or method used in pretrial services?

Risk assessment tools are considered a typical method used in pretrial services because they help evaluate a defendant's likelihood of reoffending or failing to appear in court. These tools often utilize a combination of structured data and empirical evidence to score defendants on various factors such as prior criminal history, flight risk, and stability in the community, such as employment and family ties.

Using these tools provides a standardized approach to assessing the risk individual defendants pose and aids pretrial service practitioners in making informed recommendations regarding pretrial release conditions. This process aims to balance public safety concerns with the principle of presuming innocence, ensuring that decisions regarding detention or release are based on reliable data rather than subjective judgments.

In contrast, though the other options may be relevant to law enforcement or monitoring, they do not specifically pertain to the standard methodologies used within pretrial services for assessing risk and managing defendants awaiting trial. For example, surveillance cameras and mobile monitoring devices may be used for broader law enforcement activities, while social media monitoring relates to different investigative contexts rather than the specific pretrial assessment and intervention processes.