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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