Waiting for Trial at Rikers Island: What Factors Influence Pretrial Length of Stay?

• In Event: Understanding the Jail Population in New York City: Findings from the Misdemeanor Justice Project

Abstract

From 1995 to 2015, pretrial admissions to New York City have declined by almost 50 percent. However, in 2015, there were approximately 50,000 individuals admitted pretrial across the five boroughs. In New York City, there has been increased attention from the City Council and the Mayor to explore ways to further reduce the pretrial population, including reducing case processing time. New York City is unique in that it is one jurisdiction, with five District Attorneys’ offices and court processing systems. This can lead to differences in case processing across boroughs and therefore variation in the time spent by individuals in pretrial custody. In this study, we will explore whether pretrial length of stay differs by borough after accounting for individual-level factors such as demographics, charge at arraignment, criminal history, and other factors. We hope the results shed light on how different case processing systems can impact pretrial lengths of stay.

Authors

• Quinn Hood, The Graduate Center, John Jay College / CUNY

• Jaeok Kim, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Research Network on Misdemeanor Justice