INFLUENCES ON COUNTY JAIL OPERATIONS (FROM INCARCERATION - BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS, 1977, BY P ECK AND G ENGLISH SEE NCJ-56694)

• NCJ Number: 56697
• Author(s): B PRICE; C PLAYER; L EVANS; R CUNNINGHAM
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Texas at Arlington
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PANEL PRESENTATION

Annotation

THREE PANEL MEMBERS EXAMINE INFLUENCES ON COUNTY JAIL OPERATIONS, IN TERMS OF DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS, INMATE CLASSIFICATION, JAIL STAFF, AND FACILITIES.

Abstract

ONE PANEL MEMBER REPORTS ON THE RESULTS OF A STUDY DESIGNED TO DETERMINE WHAT JAILS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE DOING FOR INMATES WITH DRUG PROBLEMS. THE STUDY, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN 1974, FOUND THAT OF OVER 4,000 JAILS IN THE UNITED STATES, AT LEAST 3,000 DID NOT HAVE SERVICES FOR INMATES WITH A DRUG PROBLEM. THE PROJECT FOCUSED ON THE 1,000 JAILS THAT CLAIMED TO HAVE SUCH A PROGRAM. THE INQUIRY CENTERED ON WHETHER INMATES WERE PROVIDED WITH SYSTEMS TO MEET THEIR IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS, MEDICAL SERVICES, AND LONG-RANGE ASSISTANCE IN PLANNING THEIR ANTICIPATED RELEASE. A CRUCIAL FACTOR DETERMINING THE ADEQUACY OF A JAIL'S SERVICES TO INMATE DRUG ABUSERS WAS THE EXTENT TO WHICH COMMUNITY AGENCIES INTERACTED WITH THE JAIL. A DRUG ABUSER COMING INTO THE JAIL AS A METHADONE STREET CLIENT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE HELP FROM A DOCTOR LICENSED BY THE FEDERAL DRUG ADMINISTRATION TO ADMINISTER METHADONE. THIS USUALLY REQUIRES SERVICES FROM THE STAFF OF A COMMUNITY AGENCY. THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT MOST JAILS PROVIDING SERVICES ARE ESSENTIALLY AUTONOMOUS UNITS WITH VERY LITTLE OUTSIDE INFLUENCES. THE STUDY INDICATED THAT JAILS RUN BY A DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS MORE LIKELY THAN ONE RUN BY A SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO USE THE SERVICES OF A COMMUNITY AGENCY. THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATED WITH THE JAIL ALSO APPEARED TO BE A DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED. A SECOND PANEL MEMBER NOTED THAT THE ABILITY OF JAIL STAFF TO CLASSIFY INMATES IS DEPENDENT ON THE JAIL SPACE AVAILABLE AT A GIVEN TIME. DISCOURAGEMENT WAS EXPRESSED AT THE FACT THAT IN DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, WHERE THE SPEAKER WORKED, JAIL FACILITIES CONTINUALLY LAG BEHIND THE SIZE OF THE JAIL POPULATION, MAKING INMATE CLASSIFICATION A DIFFICULT TASK. LIMITED FUNDS ALSO RESTRICT THE RECRUITING OF QUALIFIED, MOTIVATED JAIL STAFF. A THIRD SPEAKER ON THE PANEL, THE SHERIFF OF TARRANT COUNTY, TEXAS, EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLASSIFYING INMATES AND PROVIDING SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO HIRE AND TRAIN QUALIFIED JAIL PERSONNEL AND PROVIDE NEEDED SERVICES TO INMATES. SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE TARRANT COUNTY JAIL ARE DESCRIBED. (RCB)