NCJ Number
94961
Date Published
Unknown
Length
344 pages
Annotation
A representative 20-county sample of Illinois jails was studied to assess compliance with State and national jail standards, to estimate the resources required to bring Illinois jails into full compliance with these standards, and to suggest methods of achieving standards compliance, with particular emphasis on potential for collaboration of counties with each other and with the State.
Abstract
During site visits to all counties, several types of information were collected: an architectural assessment of the facility; jail program descriptions and staffing patterns; inmate population characteristics; operating costs; criminal justice system policies; and any plans for future changes in the county's jail facility, programs, and/or staffing. Jail staff and, where possible, the sheriff and other county officials were interviewed to obtain their views and to validate information collected from other sources. There are few, if any, Illinois county jails which are in full compliance with State and national standards for jail facilities and programs. The 20 counties tend to cluster at the extremes: six counties are rated as 'low need,' both architecturally and programmatically, and seven are rated as 'high need' on both dimensions. The report includes assesments for each of the 20 county jails.