NCJ Number
168894
Date Published
1997
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This report provides an overview of the jail improvement project conducted by an independent agency that was established by the West Virginia legislature and that continued to issue reports and make recommendations until the project's end in 1993.
Abstract
The Juvenile Justice Committee/Facilities Review Panel initially focused on juvenile incarceration in adult jails published an annual report on this issue. In addition, the Committee also reported the conditions in jails, provided technical assistance to jail officials to improve conditions, gathered statewide jail statistics, and recommended cost-effective improvement of jails. The Committee received funding from the National Institute of Corrections in 1983 for a project to improve county jails by establishing model health care programs, compiling jail standards, train jail personnel, establish a jail newsletter that contained a current literature review, and provide technical assistance to jails. State funding continued after the Federal funding ended. Activities included free training for jail officials and directors of juvenile institutions on suicide prevention and preparation of an information document on AIDS in jails. The Committee also took part in the establishment of minimum jail standards for regional jails. The Committee used technical assistance, education, and negotiation as its main techniques for causing major improvements in jail operations, but was willing to litigate if necessary. The current status of West Virginia jails and the future enforcement of prohibitions against mixing children with adults in adult facilities are unknown due to the elimination of the Committee's jail improvement initiative and the later elimination of the Committee itself. Appended list of Committee reports