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Jail Inmates 1992
August 1993
NCJ-143284
Full text with tables available from:
Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse
800-732-3277
Box 179
Annapolis Junction, MD. 20701-0179
In 1992, for the first time in its 9-year history, the Annual
Survey of Jails collected information from the large
jurisdictions about the programs that their jails administer
-- boot camps, work release, alternatives to incarceration,
educational and treatment programs for inmates, and drug
testing.
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails and this Bulletin would not
have been possible without the generous cooperation of jail
administrators and staff whose facilities were selected for
the survey.
Lawrence A. Greenfeld
Acting Director
By Allen J. Beck, Ph.D.
Thomas P. Bonczar
and Darrell K. Gilliard
BJS Statisticians
At midyear 1992 local jails held an estimated 444,584
persons. From July 1991 to June 1992, the number in jail
grew 4%, about the same rate as for the previous 12 months.
In 1992 overall jail occupancy was 99% of the rated capacity.
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails provides these findings from
data reported by 795 jurisdictions for 1,113 jails, about a
third of all jails. Local officials administer these
facilities which are able to hold persons for more than 48
hours but usually for less than 1 year.
Other survey findings include:
*About 1 in every 428 adult U.S. residents were in jail on
June 30, 1992.
*A majority of jail inmates were black or Hispanic. White
non-Hispanic inmates made up 40% of the jail population;
black non- Hispanics, 44%; Hispanics, 15%; and non- Hispanic
inmates of other races, 1%.
*An estimated 2,804 juveniles were housed in adult jails on
June 30, 1992. The average daily juvenile population for the
year was 2,527.
*Based on the most recent census (1988) 503 jurisdictions had
an average daily population of at least 100 jail inmates. In
1992, these jurisdictions operated 814 jail facilities, which
held 362,217 inmates, or about 81% of all jail inmates in the
country.
One-day counts
On June 30, 1992, the estimated number of inmates held in
local jails was 444,584, an increase of 4.2% over the number
held on June 28, 1991. About 1 in every 428 adult residents
of the United States was in jail on June 30, 1992. Fewer
than 1% of the inmates of the Nation's jails in 1992 were
juveniles.
As estimated 2,804 juveniles were housed in adult jails
across the country on June 30, 1992. Most juveniles in
correctional custody are housed in juvenile facilities. (For
a definition of juveniles and discussion of their detention,
see Methodology, page 5.)
Since 1970 the number of jail inmates per 100,000 residents
has risen 120%, from 79 to 174. During the period, the
number of jail inmates at midyear increased more than 2 +
times, from 160,863 to 444,584.
The rates of incarceration in local jails have risen more
rapidly for blacks than whites. In 1984, the earliest year
for which data are available, the incarceration rate for
blacks was 339 jail inmates per 100,000 residents; by 1992,
the rate was 619. For whites, the rates increased from 68 to
109 per 100,000. On June 30, 1992, local jails held an
estimated 195,200 blacks and 233,000 whites.
Average daily population
The average daily population for the year ending June 30,
1992, was 441,889, an increase of 4.6% from 1991. The
average daily population for males increased 4.7% from the
number in 1991; during the same period, the female average
daily population increased 2.8%. The average daily juvenile
population for the year ending June 30, 1992, was 2,527.
Adult conviction status
At midyear 1992, convicted inmates made up 49% of all adult
inmates. The number of convicted inmates increased 6% since
June 28, 1991. Convicted inmates include those awaiting
sentencing or serving a sentence and those returned to jail
because they had violated the conditions of their probation
or parole. From 1991 to 1992 the number of unconvicted
inmates increased 3%. Unconvicted inmates include those on
trial or awaiting arraignment or trial.
Demographic characteristics
Males accounted for 91% of the jail inmate population. The
adult male inmate population increased 4% from 1991 to 1992.
An estimated 1 in every 226 men and 1 in every 2,417 women
residing in the United States were in a local jail on June
30, 1992.
White non-Hispanic inmates made up 40% of the jail
population; black non-Hispanics, 44%; Hispanics, 15%; and
other races (Native Americans, Aleuts, Alaska Natives,
Asians, and Pacific Islanders), 1%.
Daily population movements
On June 30, 1992, local jails had more than 46,000 new
admissions and discharges, about equally divided between the
two categories. Discharges include sentence completions,
bail, and deaths. These data exclude transfers among
facilities and readmissions or other departures on June 30,
1992, which can only be estimated to have been within the
range of 10,733 and 13,367. (For a discussion on reporting
practices, see Methodology.)
Occupancy
The number of jail inmates increased 4% from 1991, while the
total rated capacity of the Nation's jails rose 7%. Between
June 28, 1991, and June 30, 1992, the percentage of rated
capacity which was occupied fell 2 percentage points to 99%.
Facilities with the largest average daily populations
reported the highest occupancy rates. Occupancy was 114% of
rated capacity in facilities with an average daily population
of 1,000 or more, compared to 53% in those with fewer than 20
inmates.
Size of Number of Percent of rated
facilitya facilities capacity occupied
Fewer than 20 1,017 53%
20-49 773 77
50-99 559 82
100-199 370 91
200-999 405 103
1,000 or moreb 76 114
aBased on the average daily population between June 28, 1991,
and June 30, 1992.
bIncludes an unspecified number of facilities for Cook
County, Ill., and Orleans Parish, La., each counted as having
1 facility.
Jurisdictions with large jail populations
Characteristics
In 1992 , an estimated 81% of the total annual number of
inmates in the Nation's local jails were housed in the
facilities of 503 jurisdictions, each with an average daily
population of at least 100 incarcerated persons at the time
of the 1988 Census of Jails.
Population of large
Number jail
jurisdictions
of large June 30, Daily
average
jurisdictions 1992 1991-92
Region
All
503 362,217 356,471
Northeast 85 68,026
68,384
Midwest 91 44,514
43,329
South 229 152,061
147,644
West 98 97,616
97,114
Between June 28, 1991, and June 30, 1992, these jurisdictions
held on average 356,471 inmates. On the day of the survey,
June 30, 1992, these large jurisdictions held 362,217.
Including an unspecified number of facilities counted as 1 in
both Cook County (Chicago), Illinois, and Orleans Parish (New
Orleans), Louisiana, these jurisdictions reported data on 814
separate jail facilities -- 73% of all facilities surveyed.
Nearly half of these large jurisdictions maintained an
average daily population of between 100 and 299 inmates.
Although these jurisdictions represented 47% of all large
jurisdictions, they held only 13% of the total annual number
of inmates in large jurisdictions.
Twenty-nine jurisdictions reported an average daily
population of between 2,000 and 22,220 inmates. With an
average of more than 4 facilities per jurisdiction, they
accounted for 16% of all facilities and 41% of the total
average daily population in large jurisdictions.
25 largest jail jurisdictions
Within the group of jurisdictions that have an annual number
of inmates between 2,000 and 22,220 are the Nation's 25
largest jurisdictions. These 25 jurisdictions were in 11
States: 9 in California, 4 in Texas, 4 in Florida, and 1
each in New York, Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Arizona,
Louisiana, Maryland, and Georgia. These jurisdictions had
between 1 and 16 jail facilities in their systems.
Six of the jurisdictions had a smaller average daily
population in 1992 than in 1991, and six had a smaller
population on June 30, 1992, than on June 28, 1991. Harris
County (Houston), Texas, reported the largest growth during
the year, an increase of 4,919 inmates on the day of the
survey. New York City reported the sharpest decline, a
decrease of 2,136 inmates.
On June 30, 1992, the 25 largest jurisdictions held 32% of
all jail inmates nationwide. The two largest jurisdictions,
Los Angeles County and New York City, had more than 40,700
inmates, 9% of the national total.
Overall, the number of inmates in the Nation's 25 largest
jurisdictions on June 30, 1992, was 5% greater than on June
28, 1991. The number of jail inmates in these jurisdictions
totalled 143,604, up from 132,506.
Inmates held for other authorities
Local jail jurisdictions frequently house inmates for other
authorities, because of crowding elsewhere or routine needs
of other jurisdictions, such as housing detainees pending
their transfer or holding convicted inmates while awaiting
transfer to State or Federal prison. Among the 503
jurisdictions with 100 or more inmates in 1988, 425 were
holding inmates for other authorities in 1992. Approximately
84% of these large jurisdictions had one or more jail
facilities holding inmates for other authorities on June 30,
1992.
Two-thirds of the large jurisdictions were holding inmates
for State authorities; half for Federal authorities.
The number of jail inmates being held for other authorities
by these large jurisdictions increased by 9,063, up 23% from
1991. The number of State prisoners in local jails grew the
most (31%), followed by the number of Federal prisoners
(22%). Prisoners held for other local authorities decreased
26%, from 4,548 to 3,355.
Court orders to reduce population and improve conditions
At midyear 1992 more than a quarter of the 503 large
jurisdictions reported that 1 or more of their jail
facilities were under court order or consent decree to reduce
the inmate population. On June 30, 1992, 131 jurisdictions
were under court orders to limit the number of inmates, down
from 135 in 1991.
Jail administrators in these 131 jurisdictions reported an
increase of 13% in their rated capacity during the year, or
an increase of 20,160 beds. On average these jurisdictions
were operating at about 105% of their rated capacities.
Administrators in the 372 jurisdictions not under orders to
reduce population or crowding reported less than 1% rise in
their rated capacity, and a slight increase in the occupancy
rate, from 104% to 105%.
Judges intervened most often in the operation of jails with
orders to reduce population or crowding, but they also cited
other elements of the jail facility, staff, operation, or
programs. Overall, 157 of the large jurisdictions were under
court order to limit population or to correct a specific
condition of confinement. Ninety-four were cited for two or
more conditions of confinement:
Number of Large jurisdictions
conditions with a facility
cited by a court under court order
1 63
2-3 33
4-5 11
6 or more 50
Nearly a third of the large jurisdictions with a facility
under court order in 1992 were cited for six or more
conditions. Forty-one of the 503 jurisdictions were cited
for the totality of conditions (that is, the cumulative
effect of several conditions). The most frequent condition
cited was crowded living units (118 jurisdictions), followed
by inadequate recreation facilities (62), medical facilities
or services (57), and staffing (53).
Fourteen fewer jurisdictions were under court order for
specific conditions of confinement on June 30, 1992, than on
June 28, 1991. Six fewer jurisdictions were under court
order for administrative segregation procedures or policies;
three fewer for recreation; and four fewer for food service.
Nine more jurisdictions were cited for grievance procedures
or policies; eight more for staffing patterns.
Jail programs and alternatives to incarceration
In 1992, for the first time in the history of the survey,
jurisdictions were asked if any of their jail facilities
operated a boot camp or daily work release program and if any
operated alternative-to-incarceration programs, such as
electronic monitoring, house arrest, and day reporting.
(Jail jurisdictions reported only for the programs that they
operated. Within some counties other agencies may have
operated similar types of programs). These programs are
defined as follows:
boot camp -- a program having a chain of command, highly
regimented activity schedules, drill and ceremonies, and
stressing physical challenges, fitness, discipline and
personal appearance.
Work-release -- a program that allows an inmate to work in
the community unsupervised by correctional staff during the
day and return to jail at night.
Electronic monitoring -- a program in which offenders are
supervised by correctional authorities outside of the jail
facility by use of an electronic signalling device or
programmed contact device attached to a telephone.
House arrest (without electronic monitoring) -- a program in
which offenders are legally ordered to remain confined in
their own residence except for medical reasons and employment
but are not subject to any electronic surveillance.
Day reporting -- a program that permits offenders to remain
in their residence at night and weekends while reporting to a
correctional official one or more times daily.
On June 30, 1992, 9 of the 503 large jurisdictions were
operating a boot camp program. About 4% of the jail inmates
(1,463) in these jurisdictions with boot camps were
participating in the program. Among inmates in all large
jurisdictions, fewer than half of one percent were in a boot
camp.
Daily work release programs were available to inmates in more
than two-thirds of the large jurisdictions. On June 30,
1992, 17,887 inmates in 359 jail jurisdictions were in a work
release program. On that day, 7% of the inmates in these
jurisdictions were participating in work release programs.
On June 30, 1992, 180 of the 503 large jurisdictions were
operating an alternative-to-incarceration program, such as
electronic monitoring, house arrest, or day reporting.
Offenders in these programs are not considered jail inmates
to be included in the midyear count because they are not in
physical custody. They do not serve time in a jail facility
but would if not for these programs.
Of the differing types of alternative programs, electronic
monitoring was the most widely available and had the most
participants (118 jurisdictions and 4,582 offenders). Day-
reporting programs were offered in fewer jurisdictions (43)
and had fewer than 2,445 participants. House arrest programs
without electronic monitoring were operated by 18 jail
jurisdictions with a total of 602 participants. Other types
of alternative programs, such as community service and
weekend reporting, were available in 57 jurisdictions. More
than 6,100 offenders were participating in these other
alternatives.
About three-quarters of all jail inmates in boot camps were
in two jurisdictions -- Tarrant County (Fort Worth), Texas,
and New York City. Each of these jurisdictions had more
inmates in a boot camp than the other seven jurisdictions
combined.
Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties in California had the
largest number of jail inmates in daily work release
programs. Each of these jurisdictions had more than 1,000
work release participants.
Riverside County, California, stretching to the Nevada border
east of Los Angeles, had the most offenders (1,435)
participating in some type of alternative program. Cook
County (Chicago), Illinois, had the second largest number of
participants (1,223), and Orange County, California,
containing Anaheim and Santa Ana, the third largest number,
1,050 offenders. More than 10% of offenders under the
supervision of these jail jurisdictions were in an
alternative-to-incarceration program.
Drug testing
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails asked the largest
jurisdictions if and on whom they conducted urinalysis tests
for drugs. Of all large jurisdictions, 308 said that they
did test. Jurisdictions were more likely to test upon
suspicion (219 jurisdictions) than testing all inmates at
least once (35 jurisdictions). The number of jurisdictions
that tested at random or on an inmate's return from the
community was about the same (159 and 153, respectively).
Jurisdictions holding between 2,000 and 3,999 inmates were
more likely to have at least 1 facility testing for drugs
than any other group, 93%. Those jurisdictions that had from
100 to 199 inmates were least likely to test, 47%.
Selected jail programs
In the 1992 survey, the 503 largest jurisdictions were asked
to report on inmate participation in drug treatment, alcohol
treatment, psychological counseling or psychiatric care, and
educational programs offered by their jail facilities. On
June 30, 1992, at least 1 jail facility in 420 of these
jurisdictions reported operating these types of programs. A
total of 127 jurisdictions reported operating all 4 types of
programs.
Educational programs (including literacy, basic education,
and GED programs) were offered in more than two-thirds of the
large jurisdictions. About 9% of the inmates in these
jurisdictions were participating in an education program at
the time of the survey.
Alcohol and drug treatment programs were offered in more than
half of the large jail jurisdictions. On June 30, 1992,
20,100 jail inmates were receiving alcohol treatment; 18,052
were receiving drug treatment. In the jurisdictions
operating alcohol or drug treatment programs, the inmate
participation rate was lower than 10%.
Psychological or psychiatric counseling programs were
provided in 212 of the large jurisdictions. More than 14,000
jail inmates were participating in these programs.
Inmate deaths
A total of 178 large jail jurisdictions (35%) reported one or
more jails with an inmate death during the year ending June
30, 1992, compared to 190 (38%) the previous year . Natural
causes other than AIDS were the leading cause of death among
inmates in large jail jurisdictions (38%), followed by
suicide (28%). AIDS-related deaths accounted for 24% of the
total, injury by another person, 3%, and accidents or
undetermined causes, 7%.
Methodology
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails was the ninth such survey in
a series sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The
first was conducted in 1982. Complete enumerations of the
Nation's jails are conducted every 5 years. Annual surveys -
- which collect data on all jails in jurisdictions with 100
or more jail inmates and on a sample of all other jails --
are carried out in each of the 4 years between the full
censuses. The reference date for the 1992 survey was June
30, 1992. Full censuses were done on February 15, 1978, June
30, 1983, and June 30, 1988.
A local jail is a facility that holds inmates beyond
arraignment, usually for more than 48 hours, and is
administered by local officials. Specifically excluded from
the count were temporary lockups that house persons for less
than 48 hours, physically separate drunk tanks, and other
holding facilities that did not hold persons after they had
been formally charged, Federal- or State-administered
facilities, and the combined jail-prison systems of Alaska,
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Included in the universe were five locally operated jails in
Alaska and eight jails that were privately operated under
contract for local governments.
The 1992 survey included 1,113 jails in 795 jurisdictions. A
jurisdiction is a county, municipality, township, or regional
authority that administers one or more local jails. The
jails in 503 jurisdictions were automatically included in the
survey because the average daily inmate population in these
jurisdictions was 100 or more in the 1988 census. The
jurisdictions with large jail populations, referred to as
certainty jurisdictions, accounted for 814 jails and 362,217
inmates, or 81% of the estimated inmate population on June
30, 1992.
The other jurisdictions surveyed constituted a stratified
probability sample of those jurisdictions whose average daily
population was less than 100 in the 1988 jail census.
Data were obtained by mailed questionnaires. Two followup
mailings and phone calls were used to encourage reporting.
The response rate was 99% for all jails.
For the eight jails in certainty jurisdictions and the one
jail in a noncertainty jurisdiction not responding to the
survey, data were adjusted by applying the average growth
factor for facilities in the same stratum and region with the
same type of inmates (men, women, or both sexes).
National estimates for the inmate population on June 30,
1992, were produced by sex, race, legal status, and
conviction status and for the average daily population during
the year ending June 30, 1992, by sex and legal status.
National estimates were also produced for rated capacity.
Administrators of jails in jurisdictions with large jail
populations provided counts of inmates held for other
authorities, inmate deaths, and jails under court order.
Sampling error
National estimates have an associated sampling error because
jurisdictions with an average daily population of less than
100 were sampled for the survey. Estimates based on a sample
survey are apt to differ somewhat from the results of a
survey canvassing all jurisdictions. Each of the samples
that could have been selected using the same sample design
could yield somewhat different results. Standard error is a
measure of the variation among the estimates from all
possible samples, stating the precision with which an
estimate from a particular sample approximates the average
result of all possible samples. The estimated relative
sampling error for the total inmate population of 444,584 on
June 30, 1992, was 0.47%.
Results presented in this Bulletin were tested to determine
whether statistical significance could be associated with
observed differences between values. Differences were tested
to ascertain whether they were significant at the 95-percent
confidence level or higher. Differences mentioned in the
text meet or exceed this 95-percent confidence level.
Measures of population
Two measures of inmate population are used: the average
daily population for the year ending June 30 and the inmate
count on June 30 of each year. The average daily inmate
population balances out any extraordinary events that may
render the 1-day count atypical. The 1-day count is useful
because some characteristics of the inmate population -- such
as race, Hispanic origin, and detention status -- can be
obtained for a specific date, but may not be available on an
annual basis.
Population movement
In contrast with prior years, admission and discharge data
were collected for the single day, June 30, 1992, rather than
for the entire year preceding the census date to improve data
quality and to ease reporting burdens. Intrasystem transfers
within jail systems have been removed from counts of
admissions and discharges and included with a combined
estimate of transfers between jails and long-term medical and
mental health facilities and readmissions/other departures.
Because some jurisdictions do not maintain separate records
for returning inmates who were on temporary transfers to
other facilities or readmissions resulting from weekend
sentences, medical appointments, and court appearances, it
was only possible to provide an estimate of the volume of
this movement.
Juveniles
State statutes and judicial practices allow juveniles to be
incarcerated in adult jails and prisons under a variety of
circumstances. Juveniles are persons who are defined by
State statute as being under a certain age, usually 18 years,
and who are initially subject to juvenile court authority
even if tried as adults in criminal court.
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974
requires sight and sound separation from adults for those
juveniles not tried as adults in criminal court but held in
adult jails. A 1980 amendment to that 1974 act requires the
removal of juveniles from local jails, except those juveniles
who are tried as adults for criminal felonies. The
proportion of juveniles who were housed in adult jails in
accordance with these guidelines is not available.
This report was written by Allen J. Beck, Thomas P. Bonczar,
and Darrell K. Gilliard. Corrections statistics are prepared
under the general direction of Lawrence A. Greenfeld. James
Stephan reviewed the statistics. Tom Hester edited the
report. Marilyn Marbrook administered production, assisted
by Betty Sherman, Jayne Pugh, and Yvonne Boston. Collection
and processing of the 1992 Jail Survey were conducted by
Margaret Ferguson and Linda Huang under the supervision of
Alan Stevens, Governments Division, U.S. Bureau of the
Census.
August 1993, NCJ-143284
Data used in this report will be available from the National
Archive of Criminal Justice Data at the University of
Michigan, 1-800-99-0960. The data sets will be archived as
the Sample Survey of Jails.
Jail Inmates 1992
August 1993
NCJ-143284
Full text with tables available from:
Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse
800-732-3277
Box 179
Annapolis Junction, MD. 20701-0179
In 1992, for the first time in its 9-year history, the Annual
Survey of Jails collected information from the large
jurisdictions about the programs that their jails administer
-- boot camps, work release, alternatives to incarceration,
educational and treatment programs for inmates, and drug
testing.
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails and this Bulletin would not
have been possible without the generous cooperation of jail
administrators and staff whose facilities were selected for
the survey.
Lawrence A. Greenfeld
Acting Director
By Allen J. Beck, Ph.D.
Thomas P. Bonczar
and Darrell K. Gilliard
BJS Statisticians
At midyear 1992 local jails held an estimated 444,584
persons. From July 1991 to June 1992, the number in jail
grew 4%, about the same rate as for the previous 12 months.
In 1992 overall jail occupancy was 99% of the rated capacity.
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails provides these findings from
data reported by 795 jurisdictions for 1,113 jails, about a
third of all jails. Local officials administer these
facilities which are able to hold persons for more than 48
hours but usually for less than 1 year.
Other survey findings include:
*About 1 in every 428 adult U.S. residents were in jail on
June 30, 1992.
*A majority of jail inmates were black or Hispanic. White
non-Hispanic inmates made up 40% of the jail population;
black non- Hispanics, 44%; Hispanics, 15%; and non- Hispanic
inmates of other races, 1%.
*An estimated 2,804 juveniles were housed in adult jails on
June 30, 1992. The average daily juvenile population for the
year was 2,527.
*Based on the most recent census (1988) 503 jurisdictions had
an average daily population of at least 100 jail inmates. In
1992, these jurisdictions operated 814 jail facilities, which
held 362,217 inmates, or about 81% of all jail inmates in the
country.
One-day counts
On June 30, 1992, the estimated number of inmates held in
local jails was 444,584, an increase of 4.2% over the number
held on June 28, 1991. About 1 in every 428 adult residents
of the United States was in jail on June 30, 1992. Fewer
than 1% of the inmates of the Nation's jails in 1992 were
juveniles.
As estimated 2,804 juveniles were housed in adult jails
across the country on June 30, 1992. Most juveniles in
correctional custody are housed in juvenile facilities. (For
a definition of juveniles and discussion of their detention,
see Methodology, page 5.)
Since 1970 the number of jail inmates per 100,000 residents
has risen 120%, from 79 to 174. During the period, the
number of jail inmates at midyear increased more than 2 +
times, from 160,863 to 444,584.
The rates of incarceration in local jails have risen more
rapidly for blacks than whites. In 1984, the earliest year
for which data are available, the incarceration rate for
blacks was 339 jail inmates per 100,000 residents; by 1992,
the rate was 619. For whites, the rates increased from 68 to
109 per 100,000. On June 30, 1992, local jails held an
estimated 195,200 blacks and 233,000 whites.
Average daily population
The average daily population for the year ending June 30,
1992, was 441,889, an increase of 4.6% from 1991. The
average daily population for males increased 4.7% from the
number in 1991; during the same period, the female average
daily population increased 2.8%. The average daily juvenile
population for the year ending June 30, 1992, was 2,527.
Adult conviction status
At midyear 1992, convicted inmates made up 49% of all adult
inmates. The number of convicted inmates increased 6% since
June 28, 1991. Convicted inmates include those awaiting
sentencing or serving a sentence and those returned to jail
because they had violated the conditions of their probation
or parole. From 1991 to 1992 the number of unconvicted
inmates increased 3%. Unconvicted inmates include those on
trial or awaiting arraignment or trial.
Demographic characteristics
Males accounted for 91% of the jail inmate population. The
adult male inmate population increased 4% from 1991 to 1992.
An estimated 1 in every 226 men and 1 in every 2,417 women
residing in the United States were in a local jail on June
30, 1992.
White non-Hispanic inmates made up 40% of the jail
population; black non-Hispanics, 44%; Hispanics, 15%; and
other races (Native Americans, Aleuts, Alaska Natives,
Asians, and Pacific Islanders), 1%.
Daily population movements
On June 30, 1992, local jails had more than 46,000 new
admissions and discharges, about equally divided between the
two categories. Discharges include sentence completions,
bail, and deaths. These data exclude transfers among
facilities and readmissions or other departures on June 30,
1992, which can only be estimated to have been within the
range of 10,733 and 13,367. (For a discussion on reporting
practices, see Methodology.)
Occupancy
The number of jail inmates increased 4% from 1991, while the
total rated capacity of the Nation's jails rose 7%. Between
June 28, 1991, and June 30, 1992, the percentage of rated
capacity which was occupied fell 2 percentage points to 99%.
Facilities with the largest average daily populations
reported the highest occupancy rates. Occupancy was 114% of
rated capacity in facilities with an average daily population
of 1,000 or more, compared to 53% in those with fewer than 20
inmates.
Size of Number of Percent of rated
facilitya facilities capacity occupied
Fewer than 20 1,017 53%
20-49 773 77
50-99 559 82
100-199 370 91
200-999 405 103
1,000 or moreb 76 114
aBased on the average daily population between June 28, 1991,
and June 30, 1992.
bIncludes an unspecified number of facilities for Cook
County, Ill., and Orleans Parish, La., each counted as having
1 facility.
Jurisdictions with large jail populations
Characteristics
In 1992 , an estimated 81% of the total annual number of
inmates in the Nation's local jails were housed in the
facilities of 503 jurisdictions, each with an average daily
population of at least 100 incarcerated persons at the time
of the 1988 Census of Jails.
Population of large
Number jail
jurisdictions
of large June 30, Daily
average
jurisdictions 1992 1991-92
Region
All
503 362,217 356,471
Northeast 85 68,026
68,384
Midwest 91 44,514
43,329
South 229 152,061
147,644
West 98 97,616
97,114
Between June 28, 1991, and June 30, 1992, these jurisdictions
held on average 356,471 inmates. On the day of the survey,
June 30, 1992, these large jurisdictions held 362,217.
Including an unspecified number of facilities counted as 1 in
both Cook County (Chicago), Illinois, and Orleans Parish (New
Orleans), Louisiana, these jurisdictions reported data on 814
separate jail facilities -- 73% of all facilities surveyed.
Nearly half of these large jurisdictions maintained an
average daily population of between 100 and 299 inmates.
Although these jurisdictions represented 47% of all large
jurisdictions, they held only 13% of the total annual number
of inmates in large jurisdictions.
Twenty-nine jurisdictions reported an average daily
population of between 2,000 and 22,220 inmates. With an
average of more than 4 facilities per jurisdiction, they
accounted for 16% of all facilities and 41% of the total
average daily population in large jurisdictions.
25 largest jail jurisdictions
Within the group of jurisdictions that have an annual number
of inmates between 2,000 and 22,220 are the Nation's 25
largest jurisdictions. These 25 jurisdictions were in 11
States: 9 in California, 4 in Texas, 4 in Florida, and 1
each in New York, Illinois, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Arizona,
Louisiana, Maryland, and Georgia. These jurisdictions had
between 1 and 16 jail facilities in their systems.
Six of the jurisdictions had a smaller average daily
population in 1992 than in 1991, and six had a smaller
population on June 30, 1992, than on June 28, 1991. Harris
County (Houston), Texas, reported the largest growth during
the year, an increase of 4,919 inmates on the day of the
survey. New York City reported the sharpest decline, a
decrease of 2,136 inmates.
On June 30, 1992, the 25 largest jurisdictions held 32% of
all jail inmates nationwide. The two largest jurisdictions,
Los Angeles County and New York City, had more than 40,700
inmates, 9% of the national total.
Overall, the number of inmates in the Nation's 25 largest
jurisdictions on June 30, 1992, was 5% greater than on June
28, 1991. The number of jail inmates in these jurisdictions
totalled 143,604, up from 132,506.
Inmates held for other authorities
Local jail jurisdictions frequently house inmates for other
authorities, because of crowding elsewhere or routine needs
of other jurisdictions, such as housing detainees pending
their transfer or holding convicted inmates while awaiting
transfer to State or Federal prison. Among the 503
jurisdictions with 100 or more inmates in 1988, 425 were
holding inmates for other authorities in 1992. Approximately
84% of these large jurisdictions had one or more jail
facilities holding inmates for other authorities on June 30,
1992.
Two-thirds of the large jurisdictions were holding inmates
for State authorities; half for Federal authorities.
The number of jail inmates being held for other authorities
by these large jurisdictions increased by 9,063, up 23% from
1991. The number of State prisoners in local jails grew the
most (31%), followed by the number of Federal prisoners
(22%). Prisoners held for other local authorities decreased
26%, from 4,548 to 3,355.
Court orders to reduce population and improve conditions
At midyear 1992 more than a quarter of the 503 large
jurisdictions reported that 1 or more of their jail
facilities were under court order or consent decree to reduce
the inmate population. On June 30, 1992, 131 jurisdictions
were under court orders to limit the number of inmates, down
from 135 in 1991.
Jail administrators in these 131 jurisdictions reported an
increase of 13% in their rated capacity during the year, or
an increase of 20,160 beds. On average these jurisdictions
were operating at about 105% of their rated capacities.
Administrators in the 372 jurisdictions not under orders to
reduce population or crowding reported less than 1% rise in
their rated capacity, and a slight increase in the occupancy
rate, from 104% to 105%.
Judges intervened most often in the operation of jails with
orders to reduce population or crowding, but they also cited
other elements of the jail facility, staff, operation, or
programs. Overall, 157 of the large jurisdictions were under
court order to limit population or to correct a specific
condition of confinement. Ninety-four were cited for two or
more conditions of confinement:
Number of Large jurisdictions
conditions with a facility
cited by a court under court order
1 63
2-3 33
4-5 11
6 or more 50
Nearly a third of the large jurisdictions with a facility
under court order in 1992 were cited for six or more
conditions. Forty-one of the 503 jurisdictions were cited
for the totality of conditions (that is, the cumulative
effect of several conditions). The most frequent condition
cited was crowded living units (118 jurisdictions), followed
by inadequate recreation facilities (62), medical facilities
or services (57), and staffing (53).
Fourteen fewer jurisdictions were under court order for
specific conditions of confinement on June 30, 1992, than on
June 28, 1991. Six fewer jurisdictions were under court
order for administrative segregation procedures or policies;
three fewer for recreation; and four fewer for food service.
Nine more jurisdictions were cited for grievance procedures
or policies; eight more for staffing patterns.
Jail programs and alternatives to incarceration
In 1992, for the first time in the history of the survey,
jurisdictions were asked if any of their jail facilities
operated a boot camp or daily work release program and if any
operated alternative-to-incarceration programs, such as
electronic monitoring, house arrest, and day reporting.
(Jail jurisdictions reported only for the programs that they
operated. Within some counties other agencies may have
operated similar types of programs). These programs are
defined as follows:
boot camp -- a program having a chain of command, highly
regimented activity schedules, drill and ceremonies, and
stressing physical challenges, fitness, discipline and
personal appearance.
Work-release -- a program that allows an inmate to work in
the community unsupervised by correctional staff during the
day and return to jail at night.
Electronic monitoring -- a program in which offenders are
supervised by correctional authorities outside of the jail
facility by use of an electronic signalling device or
programmed contact device attached to a telephone.
House arrest (without electronic monitoring) -- a program in
which offenders are legally ordered to remain confined in
their own residence except for medical reasons and employment
but are not subject to any electronic surveillance.
Day reporting -- a program that permits offenders to remain
in their residence at night and weekends while reporting to a
correctional official one or more times daily.
On June 30, 1992, 9 of the 503 large jurisdictions were
operating a boot camp program. About 4% of the jail inmates
(1,463) in these jurisdictions with boot camps were
participating in the program. Among inmates in all large
jurisdictions, fewer than half of one percent were in a boot
camp.
Daily work release programs were available to inmates in more
than two-thirds of the large jurisdictions. On June 30,
1992, 17,887 inmates in 359 jail jurisdictions were in a work
release program. On that day, 7% of the inmates in these
jurisdictions were participating in work release programs.
On June 30, 1992, 180 of the 503 large jurisdictions were
operating an alternative-to-incarceration program, such as
electronic monitoring, house arrest, or day reporting.
Offenders in these programs are not considered jail inmates
to be included in the midyear count because they are not in
physical custody. They do not serve time in a jail facility
but would if not for these programs.
Of the differing types of alternative programs, electronic
monitoring was the most widely available and had the most
participants (118 jurisdictions and 4,582 offenders). Day-
reporting programs were offered in fewer jurisdictions (43)
and had fewer than 2,445 participants. House arrest programs
without electronic monitoring were operated by 18 jail
jurisdictions with a total of 602 participants. Other types
of alternative programs, such as community service and
weekend reporting, were available in 57 jurisdictions. More
than 6,100 offenders were participating in these other
alternatives.
About three-quarters of all jail inmates in boot camps were
in two jurisdictions -- Tarrant County (Fort Worth), Texas,
and New York City. Each of these jurisdictions had more
inmates in a boot camp than the other seven jurisdictions
combined.
Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties in California had the
largest number of jail inmates in daily work release
programs. Each of these jurisdictions had more than 1,000
work release participants.
Riverside County, California, stretching to the Nevada border
east of Los Angeles, had the most offenders (1,435)
participating in some type of alternative program. Cook
County (Chicago), Illinois, had the second largest number of
participants (1,223), and Orange County, California,
containing Anaheim and Santa Ana, the third largest number,
1,050 offenders. More than 10% of offenders under the
supervision of these jail jurisdictions were in an
alternative-to-incarceration program.
Drug testing
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails asked the largest
jurisdictions if and on whom they conducted urinalysis tests
for drugs. Of all large jurisdictions, 308 said that they
did test. Jurisdictions were more likely to test upon
suspicion (219 jurisdictions) than testing all inmates at
least once (35 jurisdictions). The number of jurisdictions
that tested at random or on an inmate's return from the
community was about the same (159 and 153, respectively).
Jurisdictions holding between 2,000 and 3,999 inmates were
more likely to have at least 1 facility testing for drugs
than any other group, 93%. Those jurisdictions that had from
100 to 199 inmates were least likely to test, 47%.
Selected jail programs
In the 1992 survey, the 503 largest jurisdictions were asked
to report on inmate participation in drug treatment, alcohol
treatment, psychological counseling or psychiatric care, and
educational programs offered by their jail facilities. On
June 30, 1992, at least 1 jail facility in 420 of these
jurisdictions reported operating these types of programs. A
total of 127 jurisdictions reported operating all 4 types of
programs.
Educational programs (including literacy, basic education,
and GED programs) were offered in more than two-thirds of the
large jurisdictions. About 9% of the inmates in these
jurisdictions were participating in an education program at
the time of the survey.
Alcohol and drug treatment programs were offered in more than
half of the large jail jurisdictions. On June 30, 1992,
20,100 jail inmates were receiving alcohol treatment; 18,052
were receiving drug treatment. In the jurisdictions
operating alcohol or drug treatment programs, the inmate
participation rate was lower than 10%.
Psychological or psychiatric counseling programs were
provided in 212 of the large jurisdictions. More than 14,000
jail inmates were participating in these programs.
Inmate deaths
A total of 178 large jail jurisdictions (35%) reported one or
more jails with an inmate death during the year ending June
30, 1992, compared to 190 (38%) the previous year . Natural
causes other than AIDS were the leading cause of death among
inmates in large jail jurisdictions (38%), followed by
suicide (28%). AIDS-related deaths accounted for 24% of the
total, injury by another person, 3%, and accidents or
undetermined causes, 7%.
Methodology
The 1992 Annual Survey of Jails was the ninth such survey in
a series sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The
first was conducted in 1982. Complete enumerations of the
Nation's jails are conducted every 5 years. Annual surveys -
- which collect data on all jails in jurisdictions with 100
or more jail inmates and on a sample of all other jails --
are carried out in each of the 4 years between the full
censuses. The reference date for the 1992 survey was June
30, 1992. Full censuses were done on February 15, 1978, June
30, 1983, and June 30, 1988.
A local jail is a facility that holds inmates beyond
arraignment, usually for more than 48 hours, and is
administered by local officials. Specifically excluded from
the count were temporary lockups that house persons for less
than 48 hours, physically separate drunk tanks, and other
holding facilities that did not hold persons after they had
been formally charged, Federal- or State-administered
facilities, and the combined jail-prison systems of Alaska,
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Included in the universe were five locally operated jails in
Alaska and eight jails that were privately operated under
contract for local governments.
The 1992 survey included 1,113 jails in 795 jurisdictions. A
jurisdiction is a county, municipality, township, or regional
authority that administers one or more local jails. The
jails in 503 jurisdictions were automatically included in the
survey because the average daily inmate population in these
jurisdictions was 100 or more in the 1988 census. The
jurisdictions with large jail populations, referred to as
certainty jurisdictions, accounted for 814 jails and 362,217
inmates, or 81% of the estimated inmate population on June
30, 1992.
The other jurisdictions surveyed constituted a stratified
probability sample of those jurisdictions whose average daily
population was less than 100 in the 1988 jail census.
Data were obtained by mailed questionnaires. Two followup
mailings and phone calls were used to encourage reporting.
The response rate was 99% for all jails.
For the eight jails in certainty jurisdictions and the one
jail in a noncertainty jurisdiction not responding to the
survey, data were adjusted by applying the average growth
factor for facilities in the same stratum and region with the
same type of inmates (men, women, or both sexes).
National estimates for the inmate population on June 30,
1992, were produced by sex, race, legal status, and
conviction status and for the average daily population during
the year ending June 30, 1992, by sex and legal status.
National estimates were also produced for rated capacity.
Administrators of jails in jurisdictions with large jail
populations provided counts of inmates held for other
authorities, inmate deaths, and jails under court order.
Sampling error
National estimates have an associated sampling error because
jurisdictions with an average daily population of less than
100 were sampled for the survey. Estimates based on a sample
survey are apt to differ somewhat from the results of a
survey canvassing all jurisdictions. Each of the samples
that could have been selected using the same sample design
could yield somewhat different results. Standard error is a
measure of the variation among the estimates from all
possible samples, stating the precision with which an
estimate from a particular sample approximates the average
result of all possible samples. The estimated relative
sampling error for the total inmate population of 444,584 on
June 30, 1992, was 0.47%.
Results presented in this Bulletin were tested to determine
whether statistical significance could be associated with
observed differences between values. Differences were tested
to ascertain whether they were significant at the 95-percent
confidence level or higher. Differences mentioned in the
text meet or exceed this 95-percent confidence level.
Measures of population
Two measures of inmate population are used: the average
daily population for the year ending June 30 and the inmate
count on June 30 of each year. The average daily inmate
population balances out any extraordinary events that may
render the 1-day count atypical. The 1-day count is useful
because some characteristics of the inmate population -- such
as race, Hispanic origin, and detention status -- can be
obtained for a specific date, but may not be available on an
annual basis.
Population movement
In contrast with prior years, admission and discharge data
were collected for the single day, June 30, 1992, rather than
for the entire year preceding the census date to improve data
quality and to ease reporting burdens. Intrasystem transfers
within jail systems have been removed from counts of
admissions and discharges and included with a combined
estimate of transfers between jails and long-term medical and
mental health facilities and readmissions/other departures.
Because some jurisdictions do not maintain separate records
for returning inmates who were on temporary transfers to
other facilities or readmissions resulting from weekend
sentences, medical appointments, and court appearances, it
was only possible to provide an estimate of the volume of
this movement.
Juveniles
State statutes and judicial practices allow juveniles to be
incarcerated in adult jails and prisons under a variety of
circumstances. Juveniles are persons who are defined by
State statute as being under a certain age, usually 18 years,
and who are initially subject to juvenile court authority
even if tried as adults in criminal court.
The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974
requires sight and sound separation from adults for those
juveniles not tried as adults in criminal court but held in
adult jails. A 1980 amendment to that 1974 act requires the
removal of juveniles from local jails, except those juveniles
who are tried as adults for criminal felonies. The
proportion of juveniles who were housed in adult jails in
accordance with these guidelines is not available.
This report was written by Allen J. Beck, Thomas P. Bonczar,
and Darrell K. Gilliard. Corrections statistics are prepared
under the general direction of Lawrence A. Greenfeld. James
Stephan reviewed the statistics. Tom Hester edited the
report. Marilyn Marbrook administered production, assisted
by Betty Sherman, Jayne Pugh, and Yvonne Boston. Collection
and processing of the 1992 Jail Survey were conducted by
Margaret Ferguson and Linda Huang under the supervision of
Alan Stevens, Governments Division, U.S. Bureau of the
Census.
August 1993, NCJ-143284
Data used in this report will be available from the National
Archive of Criminal Justice Data at the University of
Michigan, 1-800-99-0960. The data sets will be archived as
the Sample Survey of Jails.
.
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