{"id":9143,"date":"2019-09-18T09:01:08","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T13:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/?p=9143"},"modified":"2024-04-09T19:48:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T23:48:38","slug":"state-jail-bookings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/2019\/09\/18\/state-jail-bookings\/","title":{"rendered":"How many people in your state go to local jails every year?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>County and city jails have been called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vera.org\/publications\/incarcerations-front-door-the-misuse-of-jails-in-america\">&#8220;mass incarceration&#8217;s front door,&#8221;<\/a> but campaigns to reform or close jails often don&#8217;t receive the attention they deserve. Why? Because the traditional way we measure the impact of jails &#8211; the <i>average daily population<\/i> &#8211; significantly understates the number of people directly affected by these local facilities.<\/p>\n<p>Because people typically stay in jail for only a few days, weeks or months, the daily population represents a small fraction of the people who are admitted over the course of a year. But the statistic that better reflects a jail&#8217;s impact on a community &#8211; the <i>number of people who go to jail<\/i> &#8211; is rarely accessible to the public.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, we can now get close to closing this gap in the data and making the impact of jails clearer. Building on our new national report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/reports\/repeatarrests.html\"><i>Arrest, Release, Repeat,<\/i><\/a> we&#8217;re able to estimate the number of people in every state who go to local jails each year.<\/p>\n<p>To produce these estimates, we analyzed results of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual survey that primarily concerns health trends but also contains useful data about individuals who have been arrested. The table below shows the results of our state-by-state analysis. For a rich demographic breakdown of people who go to jail (including how many go to jail multiple times a year), see our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/reports\/repeatarrests.html\">national report.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<style>table#table1 td:nth-child(2),table#table1 td:nth-child(5) {padding-right:60px} table#table1 td:nth-child(4){padding-right:80px}table#table1 td:nth-child(3){padding-right:20px}\ntable#table1 td {text-align:right;}\ntable#table1 td:first-child {text-align:left;}\n<\/style>\n<table class=\"featureimage dense expandingtable\" id=\"table1\" data-show-more-text=\"Show all states\">\n<caption><b>Sources and data notes:<\/b> Estimates of the average daily jail population in every state come from the Bureau of Justice Statistics&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bjs.gov\/content\/pub\/pdf\/mlj0014st.pdf#page=15\">Mortality in Correctional Institutions<\/a> Statistical Tables (2014). Daily population estimates are not available for six states (Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont) where the jail system is mostly or entirely integrated into the state prison system. Estimates of how many people in every state go to local jails every year come from our own analysis of the <a href=\"https:\/\/rdas.samhsa.gov\/#\/\">National Survey on Drug Use and Health<\/a> (NSDUH) 2-Year RDAS (2016-2017). It is important to note that the NSDUH survey methodology excludes several groups, including two groups of people likely to be arrested: people in &#8220;group quarters&#8221; (like jails, prisons, and hospitals) and people who are homeless and do not use shelters. Because of these exclusions, our estimates of how many people go to jails each year represent a minimum. For a detailed analysis of who goes to jail every year and how many times they go, see our national report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/reports\/repeatarrests.html\">Arrest, Release, Repeat.<\/a> To find out how many people every year are admitted specifically to your county jail, ask your county sheriff.<\/caption>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>State<\/th>\n<th>Number of unique annual jail admissions<\/th>\n<th>State population<\/th>\n<th>Unique jail admissions per 100,000 state residents<\/th>\n<th>Average statewide daily jail population<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Alabama<\/td>\n<td>90,000<\/td>\n<td>4,867,646<\/td>\n<td>1,849<\/td>\n<td>14,322<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alaska<\/td>\n<td>11,000<\/td>\n<td>740,659<\/td>\n<td>1,485<\/td>\n<td>n\/a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Arizona<\/td>\n<td>117,000<\/td>\n<td>6,962,456<\/td>\n<td>1,680<\/td>\n<td>13,961<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Arkansas<\/td>\n<td>45,000<\/td>\n<td>2,996,255<\/td>\n<td>1,502<\/td>\n<td>7,945<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>California<\/td>\n<td>368,000<\/td>\n<td>39,416,565<\/td>\n<td>934<\/td>\n<td>82,440<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Colorado<\/td>\n<td>87,000<\/td>\n<td>5,568,630<\/td>\n<td>1,562<\/td>\n<td>12,209<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"showmore hide\">\n<td colspan=\"5\" ><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Connecticut<\/td>\n<td>45,000<\/td>\n<td>3,587,935<\/td>\n<td>1,254<\/td>\n<td>n\/a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Delaware<\/td>\n<td>18,000<\/td>\n<td>957,319<\/td>\n<td>1,880<\/td>\n<td>n\/a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>District&nbsp;of&nbsp;Columbia<\/td>\n<td>12,000<\/td>\n<td>689,154<\/td>\n<td>1,741<\/td>\n<td>1,969<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Florida<\/td>\n<td>350,000<\/td>\n<td>20,820,495<\/td>\n<td>1,681<\/td>\n<td>54,002<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Georgia<\/td>\n<td>236,000<\/td>\n<td>10,371,500<\/td>\n<td>2,275<\/td>\n<td>43,720<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Hawaii<\/td>\n<td>15,000<\/td>\n<td>1,428,111<\/td>\n<td>1,050<\/td>\n<td>n\/a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Idaho<\/td>\n<td>27,000<\/td>\n<td>1,698,485<\/td>\n<td>1,590<\/td>\n<td>3,685<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Illinois<\/td>\n<td>173,000<\/td>\n<td>12,818,875<\/td>\n<td>1,350<\/td>\n<td>22,536<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Indiana<\/td>\n<td>122,000<\/td>\n<td>6,650,413<\/td>\n<td>1,834<\/td>\n<td>17,234<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Iowa<\/td>\n<td>40,000<\/td>\n<td>3,138,290<\/td>\n<td>1,275<\/td>\n<td>4,326<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Kansas<\/td>\n<td>60,000<\/td>\n<td>2,910,427<\/td>\n<td>2,062<\/td>\n<td>7,483<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Kentucky<\/td>\n<td>89,000<\/td>\n<td>4,445,151<\/td>\n<td>2,002<\/td>\n<td>22,028<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Louisiana<\/td>\n<td>86,000<\/td>\n<td>4,685,245<\/td>\n<td>1,836<\/td>\n<td>31,169<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Maine<\/td>\n<td>14,000<\/td>\n<td>1,333,070<\/td>\n<td>1,050<\/td>\n<td>1,820<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Maryland<\/td>\n<td>83,000<\/td>\n<td>6,038,465<\/td>\n<td>1,375<\/td>\n<td>11,164<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Massachusetts<\/td>\n<td>70,000<\/td>\n<td>6,841,770<\/td>\n<td>1,023<\/td>\n<td>10,228<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Michigan<\/td>\n<td>163,000<\/td>\n<td>9,947,878<\/td>\n<td>1,639<\/td>\n<td>16,990<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Minnesota<\/td>\n<td>69,000<\/td>\n<td>5,550,828<\/td>\n<td>1,243<\/td>\n<td>6,930<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Mississippi<\/td>\n<td>84,000<\/td>\n<td>2,984,758<\/td>\n<td>2,814<\/td>\n<td>13,071<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Missouri<\/td>\n<td>128,000<\/td>\n<td>6,102,354<\/td>\n<td>2,098<\/td>\n<td>11,350<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Montana<\/td>\n<td>18,000<\/td>\n<td>1,044,575<\/td>\n<td>1,723<\/td>\n<td>2,318<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Nebraska<\/td>\n<td>30,000<\/td>\n<td>1,913,840<\/td>\n<td>1,568<\/td>\n<td>3,489<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Nevada<\/td>\n<td>38,000<\/td>\n<td>2,968,647<\/td>\n<td>1,280<\/td>\n<td>7,286<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>New Hampshire<\/td>\n<td>25,000<\/td>\n<td>1,338,905<\/td>\n<td>1,867<\/td>\n<td>2,200<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>New Jersey<\/td>\n<td>86,000<\/td>\n<td>8,992,030<\/td>\n<td>956<\/td>\n<td>14,997<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>New Mexico<\/td>\n<td>49,000<\/td>\n<td>2,086,751<\/td>\n<td>2,348<\/td>\n<td>8,278<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>New York<\/td>\n<td>267,000<\/td>\n<td>19,842,843<\/td>\n<td>1,346<\/td>\n<td>27,453<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>North&nbsp;Carolina<\/td>\n<td>128,000<\/td>\n<td>10,215,054<\/td>\n<td>1,253<\/td>\n<td>19,412<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>North&nbsp;Dakota<\/td>\n<td>13,000<\/td>\n<td>755,471<\/td>\n<td>1,721<\/td>\n<td>1,418<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Ohio<\/td>\n<td>150,000<\/td>\n<td>11,640,582<\/td>\n<td>1,289<\/td>\n<td>19,112<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Oklahoma<\/td>\n<td>96,000<\/td>\n<td>3,926,036<\/td>\n<td>2,445<\/td>\n<td>13,599<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Oregon<\/td>\n<td>42,000<\/td>\n<td>4,114,383<\/td>\n<td>1,021<\/td>\n<td>5,985<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Pennsylvania<\/td>\n<td>170,000<\/td>\n<td>12,796,311<\/td>\n<td>1,329<\/td>\n<td>37,764<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Rhode Island<\/td>\n<td>19,000<\/td>\n<td>1,058,603<\/td>\n<td>1,795<\/td>\n<td>n\/a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>South Carolina<\/td>\n<td>89,000<\/td>\n<td>4,992,096<\/td>\n<td>1,783<\/td>\n<td>11,501<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>South Dakota<\/td>\n<td>25,000<\/td>\n<td>865,604<\/td>\n<td>2,888<\/td>\n<td>1,733<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Tennessee<\/td>\n<td>117,000<\/td>\n<td>6,682,694<\/td>\n<td>1,751<\/td>\n<td>27,210<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Texas<\/td>\n<td>505,000<\/td>\n<td>28,104,729<\/td>\n<td>1,797<\/td>\n<td>66,434<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Utah<\/td>\n<td>32,000<\/td>\n<td>3,073,077<\/td>\n<td>1,041<\/td>\n<td>7,352<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Vermont<\/td>\n<td>9,000<\/td>\n<td>623,506<\/td>\n<td>1,443<\/td>\n<td>n\/a<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Virginia<\/td>\n<td>111,000<\/td>\n<td>8,442,200<\/td>\n<td>1,315<\/td>\n<td>30,159<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Washington<\/td>\n<td>98,000<\/td>\n<td>7,343,339<\/td>\n<td>1,335<\/td>\n<td>12,311<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>West Virginia<\/td>\n<td>34,000<\/td>\n<td>1,822,247<\/td>\n<td>1,866<\/td>\n<td>4,292<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"hideme\">\n<td>Wisconsin<\/td>\n<td>129,000<\/td>\n<td>5,784,200<\/td>\n<td>2,230<\/td>\n<td>13,209<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wyoming<\/td>\n<td>8,000<\/td>\n<td>582,113<\/td>\n<td>1,374<\/td>\n<td>1,940<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"total\">\n<td>Overall<\/td>\n<td>4,889,000<\/td>\n<td>324,562,557<\/td>\n<td>1,506<\/td>\n<td>750,128<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Understanding the true number of people directly affected by local jails allows policymakers to better assess the impact of jail policies. But more importantly, these statistics ought to prompt state and local policymakers to question whether it is necessary to jail so many people in the first place.<\/p>\n<p>As we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/reports\/repeatarrests.html#multiplearrests2\">found<\/a> in <i>Arrest, Release, Repeat,<\/i> people who go to county and city jails are disproportionately likely to have a substance use disorder, suffer from a serious mental illness, and lack health insurance. They&#8217;re also significantly more likely to be unemployed, have incomes under $10,000, and lack a high school diploma. States and counties should not be using incarceration to address these serious problems of public health and economic inequality.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, most jail bookings do not improve public safety. Research from the Vera Institute shows that <a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2019\/01\/31\/arrests-policing-vera-institute-of-justice\/\">only 5% of arrests every year<\/a> are for violent offenses, and our analysis in <i>Arrest, Release, Repeat<\/i> indicates that even the vast majority (88%) of people arrested multiple times per year <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/reports\/repeatarrests.html#multiplearrests1\">don&#8217;t pose a serious public safety risk.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Needlessly jailing vulnerable people isn&#8217;t only a waste of public money: Even short stints in jail can throw an individual&#8217;s life into disarray by forcing them to miss work, isolating them from loved ones, and cutting off any medications they are taking. Considering the enormous human costs of excessive incarceration, policymakers should use this new data to assess whether their jails are being used to protect the public or as a temporary &#8211; and ineffective &#8211; remedy for social problems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New data shows that local jails impact more people in your state than you may think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[55,59,63],"coauthors":[46,49],"class_list":["post-9143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-briefings","tag-health","tag-jails-bail","tag-poverty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9143"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15903,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9143\/revisions\/15903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9143"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prisonpolicy.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}