NCJ Number
155527
Date Published
1994
Length
15 pages
Annotation
In response to sentencing reform in Texas, this report presents correctional population projections for fiscal years 1994 through 2000.
Abstract
Between September 1994 and December 1995, Texas will bring into operation 76,490 correctional beds in various facilities. The correctional system's current capacity will more than double to 145,081 beds by December 1995. The system will also grow in complexity, with various layers of programs and facilities. By 1996, the system will include 97,409 prison beds, including therapeutic communities, private prisons, work programs, and boot camps; 13,530 State detention and transfer facilities for holding pre-prisoners; 10,000 Substance Abuse Felony Punishment facilities; and 24,142 State jails. The addition of 76,490 correctional beds over the next 2 years will have a significant impact on reducing the county jail backlog of State offenders. If the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (DCJ) can meet the construction schedule and manage the movement of thousands of offenders from county jails during certain critical months in the next 2 years, the county jail backlog is projected to decline and the State is projected to transfer all backlogged State offenders from county jails to State facilities by June 1995. The long-term projection shows that Texas will still have to build 58,991 additional correctional beds between 1997 and 2000 to meet the demand for new capacity generated by existing sentencing policies (37,692 State jails and 21,299 prison beds). By the year 2000, the projected number of State felons that need to be in State correctional facilities will reach 206,182. Appendixes contain the DCJ construction schedule and historical prison release data. 9 tables and 6 figures