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Jail Overcrowding Issues and Analysis

NCJ Number
85465
Journal
Annual Journal Volume: 4 Dated: (1981) Pages: 122-136
Author(s)
A Bolduc
Date Published
1981
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The problem of jail overcrowding appears to have affected every state in the country in varying degrees. Court cases, administrative orders and the press have cited facility after facility for holding more persons than common standards or sense would allow. And pretrial professionals are aware of the most striking irony of the situation. Often those detained under the most crowded conditions are persons held on charges for which they have not been tried.
Abstract
In many of these same jurisdictions where overcrowding occurs, the judiciary operates virtually in the dark as to the extent of crowding that exists, even though it represents the stronger force for decreasing (or increasing) the population in the facility. The author of this article examines this strange anomaly and other issues associated with overcrowding, suggesting analyses that should occur in jurisdictions where long range planning that may involve facility construction is taking place. (Publisher abstract)

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