ST. LOUIS • Missouri officials found no criminal wrongdoing in a probe of the handling of St. Louis Circuit Court bail bonds, but a state audit to be released this afternoon contains strong criticisms of the bail process.

Those reviews — and a federal investigation — followed a Post-Dispatch inquiry that found some defendants' bonds had been changed without explanation and without following procedures that include notice to prosecutors and crime victims.

State Auditor Susan Montee's report details the same kind of problems, according to two sources familiar with the contents, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the report has not been formally released. Montee has scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. today.

The status of the federal investigation could not be determined Monday.

The newspaper investigation showed that terms of the bond changes seemed to favor one firm in particular.

On Monday, Presiding Judge David Dowd reinstated two bondsmen from that firm who had been suspended from posting bail in city circuit cases pending an investigation by the Missouri Department of Insurance, which regulates such businesses.

A letter to Dowd from Insurance Department investigator Les Hogue, dated June 23, says, in part, "after a thorough investigation into those allegations of preferential treatment, no evidence was uncovered that indicates that a licensed bail bond agent violated any state statutes or regulations. ..."

At the center of the issue has been the office of the pretrial release commissioner, unique to the St. Louis court, which sets bail on minor charges, advises judges on bail in more serious cases and handles related paperwork.

Mary Catherine Moran, the bond office commissioner at the time of the newspaper investigation, denied any impropriety and retired.

Bob Block Bail Bonds, which wrote the bonds in question, also denied wrongdoing. The bond agents Dowd reinstated, Barry Block and Hazel Varnon, are part of the Block firm.

In an interview Monday, Dowd promised internal reforms to keep the system accountable and still meet budget concerns.

A committee of judges he appointed in January made recommendations that he said "met each issue head-on" and "will provide the blueprint for avoiding these types of errors," Dowd said.

Changes already adopted by the court include:

• A new manual specifying steps in the bond process.

• Clarification of rules and procedures for changing bond conditions.

• Use of a 'smart phone" so an after-hours duty judge can review paperwork away from the courthouse.

• Remodeling of the bond office to limit access of bondsmen.

• Having a circuit judge supervise the bond office instead of a court administrator.

Dowd said he plans to adopt all the committee's suggestions except the most dramatic — handing bail duties to city jailers. During negotiations, court and city officials decided the plan will not work because of impending layoffs in the St. Louis Department of Corrections.

So Dowd plans to keep the pretrial release office. Two of its 10 positions, including Moran's, have not been filled during a self-imposed court hiring freeze, he said. More may be eliminated by attrition.

Circuit Clerk Mariano Favazza said it is a mistake to cut his office out of its historical role of also accepting bonds. He noted that his employees were never accused of errors or misconduct. He had proposed some months ago that judges assign all the bond duties to his staff.