The Importance of
Successful Reentry to Jail
Population Growth
Presented by:
Allen J. Beck, Chief
Corrections Statistics Program
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Presented at:
The Jail Reentry Roundtable
The Urban Institute
Washington, DC
June 27, 2006
1
Local jails often ignored in policy discussions,
yet process more than 12 million admissions
annually
• Jails serve a variety functions and provide an array of
services related to successful reentry
– Point of entry into criminal justice system but also point of
release and return
• On any one day, half of the Nation’s jail population is
the consequence of failure under community
supervision
–
34% on probation;13% on parole;7% out on bail/bond; 2%
other release
– In 2004 approximately 219,000 parolees and 330,000
probationers failed and were incarcerated
2
Prison and jail populations have increased
by over 600,000 inmates since 1995
Federal
prisons
State
prisons
Local
jails
1995
89,538
989,004
507,044
2000
125,682
1,176,269
621,149
2004
170,535
1,244,311
713,990
2005 (midyear)
175,954
1,255,514
747,529
7.4
2.5
3.9
Average annual
percent change
1995-2005
3
Jail admissions more than16 times the
average daily population
Population counts:
June 30, 2005
Average daily
747,500
733,400
Admissions:
7/1/04 – 6/30/05
1/1/04 – 12/31/04
Unique offenders*
12.1 million
12.6 million
9.0 million
*Based on 71.1% incarcerated twice in 12 mos.
4
12-month growth rate for local jails
rose sharply in 2005
8
6
4
2
0
Percent Change
10
95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05
5
Capacity has kept pace with population;
jails at 95% of capacity in 2005
Beds added
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
4
20
0
2
20
0
0
20
0
8
19
9
19
9
6
0
6
Offense composition of jail inmates unchanged
1989
1996
2002
Violent offenses
Homicide
Sexual assault
Robbery
Assault
22 %
3
3
7
7
26 %
3
3
7
12
25 %
3
3
6
12
Property offenses
Burglary
Larceny
Motor vehicle theft
Fraud
30 %
11
8
3
4
27 %
8
8
3
5
24 %
7
7
2
5
Drug offenses
23 %
23 %
25 %
Public-order offenses
DWI/DUI
Weapons
Other public-order
23 %
9
2
12
23 %
7
2
15
25 %
6
2
17
1%
1%
1%
Other
7
Jail population is aging
Age
< 18
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
1989
1.5
32.6
42.9
16.7
4.6
1.7
Percent of all inmates
1996
2002
%
2.3 %
1.8 %
28.5
28.1
37.4
31.9
23.9
26.0
6.3
10.0
1.5
2.2
8
Distribution by gender, race and
Hispanic origin slowly changing
Male
Female
White
Black
Hispanic
Other
1990
91 %
9
2000
89 %
11 %
2005
87 %
13
42 %
43
14
1
42 %
41
15
2
44 %
39
15
2
9
A decade of jail growth despite drop in arrests
All
Part I, Violent offenses
Murder
Forcible rape
Robbery
Aggravated assault
Number of Percent change
arrests, 2004
1994-2004
14,004,300
-4
14,000
26,200
109,500
440,600
-37
-29
-36
-20
Part I, Property offenses
Burglary
Larceny/theft
Motor vehicle theft
294,600
1,191,900
147,700
-26
-21
-26
Drug abuse violations
Other assaults
Fraud
DUI/DWI
Weapons
1,745,700
1,285,500
419,700
1,432,500
177,300
29
5
-24
3
-35
10
Growth in jail populations linked to
• Increasing use of jails for housing by other
correctional authorities
• Rising number of pre-trail detainees
• Growth in number of felons sentenced to jail
• Growth in the number of community release
violators
• Time expected to be served by sentenced inmates
unchanged (mean 9 months; median 5 months)
11
Increasing number of inmates held
for other authorities
1988
1993
1999
2005
Total
42,000
54,000
111,200
129,700
Federal
8,200
11,800
28,900
41,300
State
28,500
35,600
68,800
72,400
Local
5,300
6,500
13,600
16,000
Percent of
all inmates
12.2 %
13.2
18.4
17.4
12
Rise in unconvicted jail inmates accounts
for more than two-thirds of growth
1990
1995
1999
2000
2005
Number
208,500
284,000
327,500
343,600
463,500
Percent of total growth
since 1990
Percent of
all inmates
51 %
56
54
56
62
75 %
13
Increasing number of offenders on
community supervision returning to jail
• Number of probationers revoked and incarcerated
330,000 in 2004 up from 222,000 in 1990
• Number of parolees revoked and incarcerated 219,000 in
2004, up from 133,900 in 1990
• At time of admission in 2002, 34% of jail inmates were on
probation (up from 28% in 1989); 13% were on parole (up
from 10% in 1989)
14
46% of all jail inmates were on probation or
parole at the time of arrest
Criminal justice
status at arrest
None
Estimated
number of
inmates, 2005
349,800
Percent of
jail inmates
46%
Any status
397,700
54
251,200
94,200
34
13
On probation
On parole
15
26% of probation violators; 31% of parole violators
revoked due to arrest/conviction for a new offense
Revocation status
Not revoked
Revoked
Arrest/conviction for new offense
Any drug-related violation
Positive drug test/possession
Failure to report: testing/treatment
Absconded
Status at arrest
Probation
Parole
34%
33%
66%
26
17
13
6
67
31
18
16
5
20
20
16
74% of all jail inmates on probation or parole at arrest
met the criteria for substance abuse or dependence
Diagnostic criteria
Any abuse or dependence
Probation
or Parole
Other
Inmates
74%
64%
Dependence and abuse
Dependence only
Abuse only
49
1
24
41
1
22
No dependence or abuse
26
36
17
Marijuana, cocaine/crack and hallucinogens
were the drugs inmates most commonly used
Substance
Alcohol
Drugs
- Marijuana
- Cocaine or crack
- Heroin or opiates
- Stimulants
Convicted inmates
On probation or parole at arrest
Month before
At time
offense
of arrest
80%
33%
60
32
40
14
23
12
9
5
16
6
18
Treatment gap linked to CJ system
• Of the 415,000 substance
dependent/abusing jail inmates needing
treatment in 2002:
– 63% had been in any treatment or programs
ever in the past
– 47% had participated in treatment or programs
under some form of correctional supervision
19
More inmates receive treatment while on
probation/parole, than while in jail
• 30% of substance dependent/abusing jail inmates
had received treatment under correctional
supervision
– 22% received treatment while on probation/parole,
while 17% received treatment while in jail
• 36% participated in other programs under
correctional supervision
– 26% participated in other programs while on
probation/parole; 24% participated while in jail
20
Substance abuse treatment rose between 1996
and 2002
• Rate of treatment/programs while under correctional
supervision increased from 1996 to 2002:
– Use at offense, from 43% to 53%
– Use in the month before the offense, from 39% to
47%
• Treatment/program participation after admission, also up
from 1996:
– 20% from 17% for use at offense
– 17% from 14% for use in the month before offense
21
Special needs of inmates remain
challenge for jail management
• A third report regular use of cocaine/crack; 1 in 8 heroin or
other opiates
• 47% of women and 13% of men report past
physical/sexual abuse
• 16% history of mental illness; 10% of males and 16% of
females received services
• A third report having medical problem needing medical
attention since admission
22
Other challenges
• 14% of jail inmates reported being homeless, living in
shelter or on street in last year
• 29% of inmates unemployed; 18% only occasional
employment
• 46% report a family member ever incarcerated; 31% a
brother;19% a father
• 31% report parent abusing alcohol/drugs will growing up
• 44% from single parent household; 13% from households
missing both parents
23
Length of stay statistics suggest limited
treatment opportunities in jails
Expected
length of stay
Estimated number
admitted
Percent
>1 month
>2 months
>4 months
>6 months
2.5 million
1.6 million
970,000
540,000
19%
13%
7%
4%
Source: A. Beck, unpublished estimates, 6/24/06.
24
Treatment opportunities very limited in
small jail jurisdictions
ADP
<50
50-99
100-249
250-499
500-999
1,000 +
Number
1,188
570
588
296
167
151
Annual Length of
turnover stay (days)
33
11
21
17
18
20
19
20
16
22
13
27
25