Understanding Jail Closures: Trends and Drivers from 2000 to Present

• In Event: The Many Stakeholders in Pretrial Justice

Abstract

In this paper, we present information about the number and locations of jail closures across the United States from 2000 to the present, as well as more detailed profiles of the specific conditions surrounding those closures in several counties. While much media attention and research has focused on jail expansion and new jail construction, many counties have also decided to close their jails in response to local jail population declines, budget pressures associated with the costs of maintenance and upkeep of facilities, an inability to keep up with changing jail regulations and standards, and other factors. Without a local jail facility, most counties opt to send those who are locally arrested to facilities in other counties, raising questions about the effects of the jail closure on other parts of the criminal legal system and on people's experience through it. This paper's findings help to better understand the conditions that make decarceration and jail closure possible, as well as the consequences of closure on local communities.

Authors

• Beatrice Halbach-Singh, Vera Institute of Justice

• Caitlin Yee, Vera Institute of Justice

• Jennifer Peirce, Vera Institute of Justice