NCJ Number
130128
Date Published
1990
Length
32 pages
Annotation
A survey was conducted in the spring of 1987 to determine current classification practices and to address the policies, procedures, and management of the classification systems, including their relationship to facility design.
Abstract
Sixty facilities representing 32 large, 23 medium, and 5 small jails responded to the survey. The county sheriff administered 46 of the 60 responding jails. Facilities identified their primary approach to classification as either assessment of experienced staff, checklist/questionnaire, score sheet, decision tree, or some other approach. Assessment by experienced staff was the approach used by 26 of 58 jails. Fifty-one jails reported they had some method of overriding the classification results. Items consistently included in jail classification systems related to the nature of the offense, warrants/detainer, adult prison records, sentencing, history of violence, age, cooperativeness, and special medical, mental health, suicide risk, or protective custody issues. Only about one-third of the jails routinely assessed inmate program and service needs in the areas of intellectual problems or vocational or work skills. One-half of the jails addressed educational factors. Fifty-six jails identified staff and inmate safety as one of their top three classification goals. 34 tables