BACKED UP IN JAIL - COUNTY LOCKUPS OVERFLOW AS COURTS CLAMP DOWN ON STATE PRISONS

• NCJ Number: 57769
• Journal: Corrections Magazine Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 26-33
• Author(s): P B TAFT
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Criminal Justice Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FOCUSING ON THE PHENOMENON OF STATE PRISONERS HELD IN LOCAL JAILS BECAUSE OF OVERCROWDING IN STATE PRISONS, THIS ARTICLE OUTLINES THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS EFFECTS ON BOTH INMATES AND LOCAL OFFICIALS.

Abstract

ACCORDING TO A CORRECTIONS MAGAZINE SURVEY, MORE THAN 8,000 PRISONERS WHO HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO STATE PRISONS ARE DOING THEIR TIME IN LOCAL JAILS, WHERE THEY MUST TOLERATE CRAMPED QUARTERS, POOR MEDICAL CARE, IDLENESS, AND VIOLENCE, BECAUSE OF A LACK OF SPACE AT MORE APPROPRIATE STATE PRISONS. THE WORST BACKUP OF STATE PRISONERS IS IN THE FOUR SOUTHERN STATES THAT ARE UNDER COURT ORDER TO KEEP THEIR STATE PRISON POPULATIONS DOWN TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. ALABAMA, WITH THE MOST CHRONIC PROBLEM, HAS 1,750 PRISONERS BACKED UP. AS OF JAN. 1, 1979, LOUISIANA HAD 1,190 STATE PRISONERS IN LOCAL LOCKUPS, MISSISSIPPI, 971, AND TENNESSEE, 1,214. IN MARYLAND, OFFICIALS SAY THAT TOUGHER SENTENCING, DECREASED USE OF PAROLE, AND A COURT MANDATED CHANGE FROM TWO- AND THREE-MAN TO ONE-MAN CELLS WILL KEEP AT LEAST 400 STATE PRISONERS IN THE STATE'S 24 LOCAL JAILS. THE BACKUP OF STATE PRISONERS HAS BROUGHT TO THE LOCAL JAILS MANY OF THE PROBLEMS THE COURTS SOUGHT TO EASE AT THE STATE PRISONS. LIKE THE STATE INSTITUTIONS, THEY ARE OVERCROWDED AND UNDERSTAFFED. COUPLE THIS WITH A LACK OF REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, AND, IN SOME AREAS, EVEN WINDOWS AND PROPER VENTILATION, AND THE STAGE IS SET FOR UNREST AND VIOLENCE. STATE PRISONERS HAVE HUNG THEMSELVES IN PROTEST TO THE CONDITIONS OF LOCAL JAILS; OTHERS HAVE SET FIRES WHICH HAVE TAKEN AT LEAST 43 LIVES IN TWO INSTITUTIONS ALONE. JAIL REFORMERS HAVE PAID LITTLE ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEM OF STATE PRISONERS CONFINED IN LOCAL JAILS AND JAIL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE TURNED INCREASINGLY TO THE COURTS FOR SOME RELEASE. ALTHOUGH FEDERAL COURTS HAVE REFUSED TO CONSIDER CLASS-ACTION SUITS INVOLVING JAILS, ALABAMA, VIRGINIA, THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, AND OTHERS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FORCED STATE INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE ROOM FOR STATE PRISONERS HELD IN LOCAL JAILS. PHOTOS ILLUSTRATE THE TEXT. (KBL)