NCJ Number
146503
Date Published
1993
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Statewide trends for North Carolina's county jail population are examined over a 17-year period beginning at the end of 1975. Possible explanations are considered.
Abstract
North Carolina's county jail population quadrupled between 1975 and 1992. This has been in large part due to increases in the numbers of pretrial detainees who have accounted for approximately 75 percent of the jail population during this period. Twelve-month moving averages of the statewide jail population are provided for each of the years examined. Figures are provided for both pretrial detainees and sentenced prisoners. The percentage of the total jail population that is made of sentenced prisoners is charted. Figures on monthly jail admissions and the average length of the stay in jail for pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates are also provided. In looking at reasons for the growth in the jail population, the report focuses on the pretrial inmates for whom both admissions and length of stay increased significantly. The impact of the growth in the State's population, increased arrests for crime and court delays are considered. The response so far to increasing jail populations has been to build more jails at great cost to the taxpayers. An alternative is offered, i.e., improving the system for pretrial release. 6 figures