Pretrial Services Act of 1981

Pretrial Services Act of 1981 - Requires the Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to establish, under the supervision of the Judicial Conference of the United States, directly or by contract, a pretrial services agency (PSA) in each judicial district as recommended by the appropriate district court and circuit judicial council. (Current law authorizes such agencies on a demonstration basis in ten representative districts).

Places such agencies under the general authority of the Director and under the supervision of a chief pretrial services officer selected by the chief judge of the district court. (Current law places five agencies under the Office's Division of Probation and five under an independent Board of Trustees.)

Requires, rather than permits, regulations issued by the Director relating to the confidentiality of information contained in agencies files to provide for certain exceptions.

Continues generally the existing functions and powers of the PSA (including the discretion of the district courts to determine which shall be performed), and adds three new duties: (1) to develop a system to monitor and evaluate bail activities; (2) to prepare, pursuant to agreements, reports for the U.S. Attorneys Offices on information pertaining to pretrial diversion; and (3) to make contracts to carry out their functions.

Requires the Director to: (1) issue guidelines within 90 days of enactment with respect to the supervision of persons released into the Office's custody; and (2) include in the annual report to the Judicial Conference a report on the operation of each agency and to transmit a copy of such report to Congress.

Deletes the requirement that contracts for the operation of facilities for the custody of persons released be approved by the Attorney General.

Authorizes appropriations for the PSAs for fiscal years 1982 and 1983.