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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

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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

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Prison and jail populations have increased by over 600,000 inmates since 1995

Federal State Localprisons prisons 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

Average annual percent change 1995-2005 7.4 2.5 3.9

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Jail admissions more than16 times the average daily population

Population counts:

June 30, 2005 747,500

Average daily 733,400

Admissions:

7/1/04 – 6/30/05 12.1 million

1/1/04 – 12/31/04 12.6 million

Unique offenders* 9.0 million

*Based on 71.1% incarcerated twice in 12 mos.

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12-month growth rate for local jails rose sharply in 2005

0

2

4

6

8

10

95 00 01 02 03 04 05

Per

cen

t C

han

ge

99989796

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Capacity has kept pace with population;

jails at 95% of capacity in 2005

Beds added

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

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Offense composition of jail inmates unchanged

1989 1996 2002

Violent offenses 22 % 26 % 25 % Homicide 3 3 3 Sexual assault 3 3 3 Robbery 7 7 6 Assault 7 12 12

Property offenses 30 % 27 % 24 % Burglary 11 8 7 Larceny 8 8 7 Motor vehicle theft 3 3 2 Fraud 4 5 5

Drug offenses 23 % 23 % 25 %

Public-order offenses 23 % 23 % 25 % DWI/DUI 9 7 6 Weapons 2 2 2 Other public-order 12 15 17

Other 1 % 1 % 1 %

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Jail population is aging

Percent of all inmatesAge 1989 1996 2002< 18 1.5 % 2.3 % 1.8 %18-24 32.6 28.5 28.125-34 42.9 37.4 31.935-44 16.7 23.9 26.045-54 4.6 6.3 10.055+ 1.7 1.5 2.2

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Distribution by gender, race and Hispanic origin slowly changing

1990 2000 2005Male 91 % 89 % 87 %Female 9 11 % 13

White 42 % 42 % 44 %Black 43 41 39Hispanic 14 15 15Other 1 2 2

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A decade of jail growth despite drop in arrestsNumber of Percent change

arrests, 2004 1994-2004 All 14,004,300 -4Part I, Violent offenses Murder 14,000 -37 Forcible rape 26,200 -29 Robbery 109,500 -36 Aggravated assault 440,600 -20

Part I, Property offenses Burglary 294,600 -26 Larceny/theft 1,191,900 -21 Motor vehicle theft 147,700 -26

Drug abuse violations 1,745,700 29Other assaults 1,285,500 5Fraud 419,700 -24DUI/DWI 1,432,500 3Weapons 177,300 -35

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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)

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Increasing number of inmates heldfor other authorities

Percent ofTotal Federal State Local all inmates

1988 42,000 8,200 28,500 5,300 12.2 %1993 54,000 11,800 35,600 6,500 13.21999 111,200 28,900 68,800 13,600 18.42005 129,700 41,300 72,400 16,000 17.4

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Rise in unconvicted jail inmates accounts for more than two-thirds of growth

Percent ofNumber all inmates

1990 208,500 51 %1995 284,000 561999 327,500 542000 343,600 562005 463,500 62

Percent of total growthsince 1990 75 %

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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)

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46% of all jail inmates were on probation or parole at the time of arrest

Estimated

Criminal justice number of Percent of status at arrest inmates, 2005 jail inmatesNone 349,800 46%

Any status 397,700 54

On probation 251,200 34 On parole 94,200 13

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26% of probation violators; 31% of parole violators revoked due to arrest/conviction for a new offense

Status at arrestRevocation status Probation ParoleNot revoked 34% 33%

Revoked 66% 67 Arrest/conviction for new offense 26 31 Any drug-related violation 17 18

Positive drug test/possession 13 16 Failure to report: testing/treatment 6 5

Absconded 20 20

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74% of all jail inmates on probation or parole at arrest met the criteria for substance abuse or dependence

Probation OtherDiagnostic criteria or Parole Inmates

Any abuse or dependence 74% 64%

Dependence and abuse 49 41 Dependence only 1 1 Abuse only 24 22

No dependence or abuse 26 36

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Marijuana, cocaine/crack and hallucinogens were the drugs inmates most commonly used

Convicted inmatesOn probation or parole at arrestMonth before At time

Substance offense of arrest

Alcohol 80% 33%Drugs 60 32

- Marijuana 40 14- Cocaine or crack 23 12- Heroin or opiates 9 5- Stimulants 16 6

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Length of stay statistics suggest limited treatment opportunities in jails

Expected Estimated number

length of stay admitted Percent

>1 month 2.5 million 19%

>2 months 1.6 million 13%

>4 months 970,000 7%

>6 months 540,000 4%

Source: A. Beck, unpublished estimates, 6/24/06.

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Treatment opportunities very limited in small jail jurisdictions

Annual Length ofADP Number turnover stay (days)<50 1,188 33 1150-99 570 21 17100-249 588 18 20250-499 296 19 20500-999 167 16 221,000 + 151 13 27