DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS

U.S. Department of Justice

National Institute of Corrections

JAIL RESOURCE ESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know
U.S. Department of Justice

National Institute of Corrections

320 First Street N.W.

Washington, DC 20534

Morris L. Thigpen, Director

Virginia A. Hutchinson, Chief, Jails Division

Project Manager 

National Institute of Corrections

World Wide Web Site

http://www.nicic.org
JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

Gary M. Bowker

February 2002

NIC Accession Number 017372
This document was prepared under cooperative agreement number 99J07GIK6 from the National Institute

of Corrections, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of

the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

The National Institute of Corrections reserves the right to reproduce, publish, translate, or otherwise use and

authorize others to publish and use all or part of the copyrighted material contained in this publication.
➤

➤

iii

FOREWORD

The role of the funding authority is critical to the operations of the

local jail. Funding authorities, which include county commissions,

municipal councils, tribal councils, and other local governing bodies, affect the success of jail operations through— 

● The types and levels of resources they allocate to the jail.

● Their level of knowledge about the jail’s purpose and functions.

● The quality of their relationship with jail officials. 

This guide is intended to contribute to a better understanding of

the funding authority’s roles and responsibilities regarding the jail

while providing basic information on jail operations. Indicators

of jail effectiveness, efficiency, and quality are listed in chapter 6.

Although this guide provides essential information about jails

generally, funding authority members are encouraged to learn more

about their own local jails and to familiarize themselves with the

issues specific to their jurisdictions. Information about the National

Institute of Corrections Information Center Web site and other recommended resources is provided at the end of this guide.

Morris L. Thigpen

Director

National Institute of Corrections

➤

➤

v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to acknowledge contributions from Mark Martin

and Dr. Paul Katsampes. Special thanks for review consultation to

Harris Terry, Bruce Bounds, Brad Leach, and Dennis Kimme. 

CONTENTS

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

The Jail as a Primary Function of Local Government . . . . 1

The Jail:A Key Responsibility of Local Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

How Is the Jail Unique Among Local Government’s Responsibilities? . . . . . . . . . 2

The High Priority of Jail Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Purpose of the Jail and Its Role in the 

Local Criminal Justice System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Purpose of the Local Jail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Role of the Jail in the Criminal Justice System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Jail Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Size of the Jail Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Diversity of the Inmate Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Jail Litigation and Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Jail Litigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Emergence of Jail Litigation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Emphasis on Rights for Prisoners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Key Supreme Court Rulings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

A Body of Clearly Established Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Jail Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Effective Jail Operations: Key Elements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Adequate Staffing Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Proper Staffing Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Effective Placement of Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Well-Trained and Supervised Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Staff Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Staff Supervision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

➤

➤

vii
Current,Written Operational Directives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Policies, Procedures, and Post Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

A Systematic and Documented Inmate Classification Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Risk and Need Assessment:A Formal, Documented System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Effective Supervision of Inmates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Primary Jail Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Adequate Level of Inmate Services and Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Inmate Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Inmate Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Fair Treatment of Inmates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Inmate Discipline Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Inmate Grievance Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Adequate Bed-Space Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Management Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Impact on the Criminal Justice System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Compliance With Standards, Regulations, and Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

A Safe, Clean, and Well-Maintained Physical Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Role of the Funding Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Funding Authority Roles and Responsibilities. . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Supporting Effective Jail Functioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Be Knowledgeable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Be Proactive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Secure Adequate Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Provide Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Be an Advocate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Monitoring and Oversight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Jail Efficiency Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Jail Effectiveness Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Jail Quality Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

References and Recommended Information Resources. . . . 33

viii

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤
Chapter 1

THE JAIL AS A PRIMARY FUNCTION

OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The Jail: A Key Responsibility of

Local Government 

Local governments are responsible for a wide variety of services,

which may include law enforcement, court administration, health

and public welfare, taxation and finance, public works, and other

activities. The existence of more than 3,500 county jails, about 80

Indian country jails, and numerous municipal jails, however, indicates that providing detention services for the local criminal justice

system is a core responsibility of local government. Given the public safety implications and high-liability nature of incarceration, it

is also one of the most critical. 

Funding authorities, which include county commissions, municipal councils, and tribal governments, allocate resources to operate

jails. Jail officials, such as sheriffs, directors of corrections, and jail

administrators, must ensure that jails operate in a safe, secure, and
humane manner. These two entities must maintain a high level of understanding and cooperation if the best interests of the local government

and community are to be served. No single public official or entity “owns” all of the responsibility for the jail—it is a shared responsibility.

An important step in meeting this shared responsibility is to ensure that local government officials and members of the local criminal justice

system, in partnership with the community, identify

a philosophic approach to the use of the jail. This

includes defining both who should come to jail

and how the individuals who are held should be

managed. A mutually agreed-upon philosophic

approach better equips the funding authority

and jail officials to meet the challenges of operating the local jail successfully.

2

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

How Is the Jail Unique

Among Local Government’s

Responsibilities? 

Although the jail is but one of the responsibilities

of local government, it is unique in many respects:

● The jail is required to provide a wide range

of services to satisfy minimum constitutional

requirements. Because inmates are confined

against their will, the jail is responsible for

and in total control of inmates’ health, welfare,

and safety.

● The jail operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a

day, making it one of the most staff-intensive

functions of local government and resulting

in a high level of wear on the facility and its

equipment, fixtures, and furnishings.

● The jail has little say as to the types and numbers of inmates placed under its control or how

long they stay because these decisions are made

by law enforcement agencies, judges, prosecutors, and others in the criminal justice system.

● Jail operations require specialized facilities

that are expensive to build and maintain.

● Unprecedented growth in jail populations

has required fast-paced construction of new

and expanded facilities.

● The costs of constructing and operating the

jail are consuming an ever-increasing proportion of the local government’s budget.

Funding authorities and jail 

officials must maintain a high

level of understanding and 

cooperation if the best interests 

of the local government and 

community are to be served.
➤

➤

3

The Jail as a Primary Function of Local Government

The High Priority of 

Jail Issues 

Given the unique circumstances that drive jail

administration, many funding authorities understand that the jail must be considered a high priority. In all too many instances, however, funding

authority members have begun to learn about

their own jails only after a high-profile incident

has immersed them in litigation and negative

media attention. 

Crises such as inmate deaths, riots, fires, escapes,

and hostage incidents expose funding authority

members to costly civil liability. They can also

exact a tremendous toll in the form of personal,

professional, and political harm and embarrassment. They cause the public to lose confidence

in the criminal justice system and in the elected officials responsible for overseeing critical

public safety functions. Such a loss of confidence

may directly affect the outcome of a subsequent election.

Jurisdictions in which the funding authority and

jail officials have worked cooperatively to identify and solve problems before they reel out of

control have prevented such crises. These jurisdictions are far more likely to have jails that are

safe and secure and that provide a valuable

community service.

In all too many instances, funding

authority members have begun to

learn about their own jails only

after a high-profile incident has

immersed them in litigation and

negative media attention.

Chapter 2

THE PURPOSE OF THE JAIL AND ITS

ROLE IN THE LOCAL CRIMINAL

JUSTICE SYSTEM

The Purpose of the Local Jail 

The primary purposes of the jail in the community are to hold

accused law violators who cannot post bond to ensure their appearance at trial and to hold those convicted of lesser offenses until

they complete their court-ordered sanction. In addition to these

purposes, rehabilitation and reintegration are sometimes considered secondary goals. Opportunities for self-help and change are

desirable and may prevent some inmates from committing offenses

after their release. However, provision of these activities may be

limited by the lack of any clear statutory responsibility to provide

such programs at the local jail level, by financial constraints, and

by other resource restrictions.

The incarceration of accused law violators and those convicted of

lesser offenses distinguishes local jails from state and federal prisons. Prisons house only persons convicted of more serious offenses—

usually felons with sentences of a year or more.
The Role of the Jail in the

Criminal Justice System

Case processing in the criminal justice system

may be described as a series of decision points

that begin with an arrest and end with the final

discharge of an offender from custody. The jail

is a primary resource for the criminal justice

system, used to address the need for detention

at various points in the criminal justice process. 

Jails typically serve multiple law enforcement

agencies, including the local police, sheriff,

state police, state conservation officers, and

various federal agencies. Jails also serve prosecutors, the courts, and probation and parole agencies.

The jail serves criminal justice system needs

by holding—

● New arrestees pending arraignment, trial,

conviction, or sentencing.

● Offenders sentenced to jail time.

● Accused probation, parole, or bail-bond violators pending revocation proceedings.

● Offenders as a sanction for probation or

parole violations.

● Detainees while the prosecutor reviews cases

and decides whether to file charges.

● Juveniles pending transfer to juvenile authorities.

● Inmates for federal, state, or other authorities

because their own facilities are crowded.

● Illegal immigrants pending transfer to the

Immigration and Naturalization Service.

● Convicted offenders pending transfer to state

or federal institutions.

● Offenders pending transfer to military

authorities.

● Witnesses for the court.

● Offenders for violation of court-ordered

conditions, such as violations of restraining

orders, failure to pay fines, failure to appear

in court, and failure to attend substance

abuse programs.

The jail is an integral part of the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system needs

addressed by the jail are dynamic and are influenced by the policies, practices, and philosophies

of the various agencies using the jail.

6

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

The jail is a primary resource for

the criminal justice system, used

to address the need for detention

at various points in the criminal

justice process. 
Chapter 3

THE JAIL POPULATION

Issues concerning the overall jail population focus on both the

number and types of inmates in the jail. The jail has little to no

control over either, yet it is required to manage a population that

often exceeds its bed space and presents a great range of risks and

needs. Also, jails cannot screen out inmates when the numbers,

risks, or needs are too great; they must accept all inmates brought

to them by various law enforcement agencies.

Size of the Jail Population

The size of the jail population is a product of decisions made by

various law enforcement entities that the jail serves, the courts, and

other segments of the criminal justice system. The size of the jail

population is also affected by local, state, and federal laws; crime

rates; and public attitudes about crime. (See “Adequate Bed-Space

Capacity” in chapter 5.) 
Diversity of the Inmate

Population

The jail is characterized by the diversity of the

population it serves. Unlike individual prisons,

where all inmates are generally of the same gender, legal status, and custody level, jails are

expected to manage a broad cross-section of

people who come into contact with the law for

varying reasons. The mix and complexity of the

jail population characteristics have as much or

more influence as the size of the jail population

on the facilities, staffing, and services required. 

Inmates vary by—

● Gender.

● Age.

● Medical condition.

● Mental health condition.

● Charge.

● Legal status.

● Level of escape risk.

● Race and ethnicity.

● Danger posed to other inmates or staff.

● Ability to get along with other inmates.

● Intellectual capacity.

● Educational and literacy levels.

● Length of stay.

Such diversity presents major challenges in

supervising and managing inmates and in

ensuring the safety and security of the jail.

8

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

Such diversity presents major

challenges in supervising 

and managing inmates and 

in ensuring the safety and

security of the jail.
Chapter 4

JAIL LITIGATION AND STANDARDS

Jail Litigation

Funding authorities should be familiar with the legal requirements

for operating a jail and the standards applicable to their own jail.

Legal requirements and standards will affect many funding decisions

concerning the jail.

Emergence of Jail Litigation

Before the 1960s, the public and the courts largely ignored conditions and practices in jails. The courts had adopted a “hands off”

policy toward inmate complaints and lawsuits that challenged

institutional conditions and practices. The courts based this policy

on the belief that corrections administrators knew best how to control inmates and, therefore, were owed deference concerning jail

operations and management. 

Emphasis on Rights for Prisoners

During the 1960s and 1970s, the United States significantly changed

its approach to civil rights issues and became engulfed in a struggle to increase the rights of many groups. In such a climate, rights

for prisoners became an issue. Federal courts started to consider
prisoner lawsuits that challenged conditions of

confinement as legitimate legal claims. 

The courts recognized that inmates do not lose

their constitutional rights, although those rights

may be restricted for purposes of safety, order,

security, control, and rehabilitation. To address

inmate rights, the courts began to receive and

hear the claims and petitions of inmates who

were subjected to physical abuse, inhumane

conditions, corporal punishment, or other constitutional deprivations. 

Key Supreme Court Rulings

In rendering decisions on inmate claims, the

U.S. Supreme Court sent strong messages to state

and local government officials who operate the

nation’s jails and prisons. The Court’s position

was clearly articulated in two landmark cases,

Turner v. Safley and Wolff v. McDonnell.

Prison walls do not form a barrier separating prison (or jail) inmates from the

protections of the Constitution. (Turner

v. Safley, 107 S.Ct. 2254, 2259 (1987)) 

There is no iron curtain drawn between

the Constitution and the prisons of this

country. (Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S.

539 (1974))

The bottom line regarding the impact of litigation on state and local governments is, perhaps,

best reflected in this analysis by William C.

Collins:1

The Courts began to realize that there

was no sound legal reason that the protections of the Constitution had to stop

outside the jailhouse door. With that

realization, the door to the courthouse

began to open. In 1970, a federal judge

in Arkansas wrote what was to become

an overriding theme for correctional

facilities and the courts: If the government is going to operate a jail system,

“it is going to have to be a system that

is countenanced by the Constitution of

the United States,” Holt v. Sarver, 309 F.

Supp. 362, 385 (E.D. Ark., 1970). In

other words, the protections of the

Constitution extended into prisons

and jails, the only questions being the

extent of those protections. 

A Body of Clearly Established Law

Between 1980 and 1996, the number of petitions (lawsuits) filed in U.S. district courts by

federal and state inmates increased from 23,230

to 68,235.2 As a result of this unprecedented

judicial intervention, longstanding problems in

jail operations and conditions of inmate confinement were broadly revealed and confronted.

10

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

Federal courts started to consider

prisoner lawsuits that challenged

conditions of confinement as 

legitimate legal claims. 
There is now a body of clearly established law,

with associated liability, that addresses nearly

every aspect of jail operations and conditions.

Jail Standards

Although no federally mandated standards

have been established for jails, professional

organizations and many states have developed

comprehensive jail standards. Standards provide local jurisdictions with clearly defined

guidelines based on case law for compliance

with constitutional requirements. Standards

typically outline the requirements for both the

construction and the operation of local jails.

Compliance with standards demonstrates a

commitment to professionalism by local officials and can significantly reduce local government’s liability exposure. 

The American Correctional Association (ACA)

Standards for Adult Local Detention Facilities,

which are voluntary, are the most widely recognized professional standards. Many states and

other professional organizations have modeled

their standards after those developed by ACA.

The number of state jail standards and inspection programs increased from 12 state programs

in 1966 to 34 in 1999. Some states have only

recently formulated jail standards for the first

time, erasing a surprising gap in regulation

when one considers that standards and relevant

codes exist for nearly every other type of public

facility. Indian country jails, which are not covered by state jail standards, are addressed in

standards developed by the U.S. Department of

the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

Most states and Indian country jurisdictions

have provisions for implementing their standards that include inspections, compliance

monitoring, and sanctions for noncompliance.

To facilitate compliance, some programs offer

technical or funding assistance.

Jail standards promote consistent management

and reduce the jail’s exposure to liability by

serving as—

● A management tool for directing staff and

managing their performance.

● A basis for formulating acceptable policies

and procedures.

● A basis for developing training programs.

● A justification for needed resources.

● A means of discouraging lawsuits or minimizing their success.

● A way to measure

accomplishments.

● A way to ensure fair

and humane treatment of inmates.

11

Jail Litigation and Standards

➤

➤

Jail standards 

promote consistent

management and

reduce the jail’s

exposure to liability.

Chapter 5

EFFECTIVE JAIL OPERATIONS:

Many problems are commonly found in jails, such as violence,

vandalism, and unsanitary conditions. Studies of both old and new

jails that have eliminated or minimized many of these problems

indicate they have the following 10 characteristics in common:

● Adequate staffing levels.

● Well-trained and supervised staff.

● Current, written operational directives. 

● A systematic and documented inmate

classification process.

● Effective supervision of inmates.

● Adequate level of inmate services and

programs.

● Fair treatment of inmates.

● Adequate bed-space capacity.

Studies of both old 

and new jails that 

have eliminated or 

minimized violence,

vandalism, and other

problems indicate 

they share 10 related

characteristics.

Key Elements
● Compliance with standards, regulations, 

and codes.

● A safe, clean, and well-maintained physical

environment.

These characteristics are closely related, and

each, if ignored, presents a high degree of liability. This chapter provides an overview of these

characteristics and their implications for funding authority members. 

Adequate Staffing Levels

Adequate staffing is essential to effectively

managed, safe, and secure jails. Without it, the

potential for injury to staff and inmates, risk to

the community, and vulnerability to litigation

are significantly increased. “Adequate staffing”

refers to both the number of staff required to

operate the jail and the effective placement of

staff into duty positions. 

Proper Staffing Levels

Often, public officials seek to determine the

“correct” ratio of staff to inmates. However, this

implies that the number of inmates a jail holds

is the only factor that determines proper staffing

levels. In fact, determining safe and effective

staffing levels is far more complex. Some factors

that affect required staffing levels in individual

jails are discussed below.

Inmate population. Inmate population issues

focus on both the number and types of inmates

housed. Consideration must be given to the

level of supervision required for inmates depending on security risk, behavior within the jail, and

needs in terms of medical and mental health

care. These factors vary from jail to jail, and they

also vary over time within the same jail as a

result of fluctuations in the inmate population.

Physical plant layout. Details to be considered

here include number of housing units within

the jail, staff sight lines into and within the

housing units, and number of floors.

Circulation. “Circulation” is the extent to

which inmates are moved about the facility for

various functions.

Services and activities provided for inmates.

The philosophy under which the jail operates

may provide only for those services required

by law, or it may advocate education, treatment,

and work programs. Consideration must be

given not only to the types of services and

activities but also to the frequency with which

they are conducted.

Approach to inmate supervision and management. Adequate supervision requires the presence

of staff. Reliance on cameras to observe inmates

14

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

“Adequate staffing”—the single

most important factor contributing

to ultimate success or failure of

the jail—refers to both the number

of staff required to operate the

jail and the effective placement

of staff into duty positions. 
in no way constitutes effective supervision.

Given this, the jail may opt to place staff stations outside housing units but in a position to

observe activities within the unit. On the other

hand, the jail may decide to place staff within

the housing unit to directly supervise inmates,

interact with them, and manage their behavior.

Other factors, such as court decisions and jail

standards—both of which may mandate activities that affect the level of supervision inmates

receive and the services provided to them—

influence required staffing levels.

There is a specific process for determining

staffing needs in a jail, which includes consideration of the above factors, identification of

posts and the coverage needed for each, and

calculation of net annual work hours.3 The

jail staffing plan should be updated at least

yearly and when any major changes occur in

the primary factors that affect staffing.

Effective Placement of Staff

Adequate staffing involves both quantity and

quality. “Quality” refers to staff qualifications,

performance, and assignments. Adequate

staffing, then, may be defined as assigning

the right number of staff—

● At the right place (assignment to duty post).

● At the right time (staff are allocated as needed depending on activity levels in the jail).

● To do the right thing (staff are given the tools

and resources, including training, policies

and procedures, post orders, and supervision

necessary to ensure they do what is required

of them).

Well-Trained and

Supervised Staff

Staff Training

Staff training is critical to successful jail

operations. Staff training contributes to an

effective jail operation by—

● Reducing liability.

● Helping to ensure that

policies and procedures

are understood and followed.

● Helping to ensure the

proper operation of vital

jail security equipment.

● Reducing the potential

for staff, inmate, or visitor

injury.

15

Effective Jail Operations: Key Elements

➤

➤

Getting staff to the right place at the

right time to do the right thing is a

management responsibility of jail officials.

Getting the right number of staff, however, is a joint responsibility of the jail officials

and the funding authority. Since staffing

costs represent approximately 70 to 80

percent of the jail budget, it is important

for the funding authority to work with

jail officials to develop and agree upon a

staffing plan for the jail. Adequate staffing

is the single most important factor contributing to the ultimate success or failure

of the jail. ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Staff training

is critical to

successful jail

operations.
● Helping to ensure the maintenance of security.

● Enhancing officer self-confidence and professionalism.

● Improving service delivery and the public’s

perception of the jail.

● Sustaining organizational vitality.

All jail staff must have basic preservice training

and ongoing on-the-job and inservice training

tailored to their specific job duties.4

Staff Supervision

Once trained, jail supervisory staff should provide active, ongoing supervision to ensure jail

staff use the skills they learned in training and

are following the jail’s policies and procedures.

The combination of training and ongoing supervision helps jail staff achieve competency and

maintain it over time.

Current, Written

Operational Directives

Policies, Procedures, and Post Orders

A set of current, written directives on jail operations is essential to describe operational

requirements and to provide guidance on how

they are to be carried out. Jails should have a

policy and procedures manual, tailored to the

individual jail, that states the policy for each

aspect of jail operations, the rationale for the

policy, and a description of the procedures for

carrying out each policy. Also, each duty post

in the jail should have a set of detailed post

orders listing all the tasks of the post, when

they are to be done, and who should do them.

Both the policy and procedures manual and all

post orders should be reviewed and updated at

least annually and when major operational

changes take place.

Current, written directives provide—

● Clear direction to staff on operations.

● The basis for on-the-job staff training.

● Protection for the county against liability

when individual acts can be shown to be

outside these written directives.5

16

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

The funding authority can support the

provision of training for jail staff by

ensuring that basic training resources

are available, including—

• Funding for a training coordinator.

• Funding for overtime to allow staff to

attend training as necessary.

• Access to adequate training space and

equipment.

• Funding for tuition and travel to offsite

training as necessary.

• Funding for outside trainers to provide

training at the jail. ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Both the policy and procedures

manual and all post orders

should be reviewed and

updated at least annually 

and when major operational

changes take place.
A Systematic and

Documented Inmate

Classification Process

Risk and Need Assessment:A Formal,

Documented System

As described in chapter 3, jails are required to

manage a diverse inmate population. An effective inmate classification system is key in this

area. Classification involves a formal, documented system for assessing

the risks and needs presented

by each incoming inmate.

Based on the initial assessment

and regular reassessments,

staff can make decisions

about the inmate’s housing

assignment, supervision level,

services needed, and access

to programs.6

Failure to classify inmates

properly directly threatens the

safety and security of inmates,

staff, and visitors. It also puts

the community at risk of harm

from inmates who may escape

as a result of improper classification. Thus, it

places the local government at high risk for

liability. The courts have been clear that, at

minimum, some segregation of inmates must

take place—at least to the extent that they can

be kept secure from violence, intimidation,

contagious illness, or other victimization.

17

Effective Jail Operations: Key Elements

➤

➤

The funding authority’s role includes

monitoring policies and procedures and

providing resources for development and

implementation.

Monitoring policies and procedures.

While jail officials are responsible for

developing and implementing policies,procedures,and post orders,the funding authority

has an interest in making sure there are

written directives guiding jail operations.

Funding authority members also have an

interest in ensuring that written directives—

• Have been reviewed by the county

legal authority.

• Are reviewed annually by jail officials

and kept current.

• Have been implemented through training of staff.

• Reflect the operational realities of the jail

(the jail has the resources and capacity

to implement the policies and procedures).

Resources for development and implementation. Funding authorities can help

bring about the development and implementation of written directives by supporting the

jail’s requests for resources to accomplish

this task and by helping to secure a legal

review through the county counsel.The

development effort may incur extra initial

expense for supplies, copying, staff overtime, temporary help, and consulting services. Implementation of the policies and

procedures may require resources for staff

training. Ongoing monitoring and review of

policies and procedures, once implemented,

will require a commitment of staff time that may

have an impact on jail staffing requirements.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Failure to classify

inmates properly

places the local

government at high

risk for liability.
Effective Supervision 

of Inmates

Primary Jail Function

Inmate supervision is the primary function of

the jail. When inmates are not supervised, staff,

inmates, and visitors are vulnerable to harm

and the likelihood of escape increases, as does

the potential for harm to community members.

Historically, jails have focused on the physical

containment of inmates. They have minimized

staff-inmate interaction and, therefore, active

supervision of inmates and management of

their behavior. This has resulted in problems

commonly associated with jails, such as—

● Assaults on inmates and staff.

● Vandalism.

● Introduction of dangerous contraband.

● Unsanitary conditions.

● Inmate disregard for any staff-imposed rules.

These problems have been greatly reduced or

virtually eliminated when staff members continuously and actively supervise inmates, set

and clearly communicate expectations for their

behavior, provide incentives for positive behavior, and hold inmates individually accountable

when they violate behavior standards. Effective

inmate supervision, then, involves far more

than simply observing inmates.

Also, as noted in chapter 3, great diversity exists

within the inmate population in terms of risks

and needs. Inmates require differing levels of

18

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

Funding authority members have an interest in ensuring that the jail has a logically

conceived and legally defensible classification plan that allows staff to manage the

population safely and securely. In some

jails, the physical plant or crowding can

impede the jail’s ability to implement an

effective inmate housing and management

plan, which is based on classification information. In these cases, the funding authority may consider allocating resources for

physical plant renovation or new jail construction, or for contracting with another

jail that can safely hold certain classifications of inmates.

When crowding diminishes the jail’s ability

to house and manage inmates effectively,

the funding authority can also provide

leadership by supporting efforts to develop alternative programs or community

sanctions for certain types of inmates

who may not necessarily have to be

detained in the jail.This will require the

coordinated efforts of all key players in

the local criminal justice system.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Effective inmate supervision

involves far more than simply

observing inmates—constant

staff presence, staff interaction

with inmates, and staff training.
supervision, depending on their classification.

Some inmates do not require a lot of individual

attention and function well within the housing

unit with general supervision. Suicidal inmates

may require constant one-on-one staff supervision. High-security inmates may require the

presence of two or more officers when staff

enter the housing unit or when the inmates are

being moved through the facility.

Effective inmate supervision is characterized by

three critical elements:

● The constant presence of staff in or adjacent

to inmate housing areas.

● Staff interaction with the inmates being

supervised. 

● Staff training in the supervisory and communication skills necessary to supervise inmates

and manage their behavior.

Adequate Level of Inmate

Services and Programs

Inmate Services

Inmates have a fundamental right to basic services essential to their health and well-being. The

most significant of these are discussed below.

Food services. The goal of food services should

be to provide three nutritionally adequate meals

a day that are reasonable in cost and produced

and served under sanitary, healthy conditions.

When warranted, inmates must be provided special meals for religious and medical purposes. 

Medical and mental health care services.

Inmates are totally dependent on jail officials

to respond to their medical and mental health

needs. Failure to provide adequate medical and

mental health care can expose the county to significant liability.

Visiting. Visiting is one of

the crucial links between

inmates and the community.

It enables inmates to remain

in touch with family members, friends, business

associates, ministers, and

attorneys. Because visiting

is so important to inmates,

it is one of the jail’s most

effective tools for managing

their behavior. 

Exercise. Active indoor and

outdoor exercise outside the housing units is

important to the physical and mental well-being

of inmates and to facility security because it

provides a positive outlet for inmate energies. 

19

Effective Jail Operations: Key Elements

➤

➤

Funding authorities may affect the quality

of inmate supervision through both funding

and policy decisions. Adequate staffing is

fundamental to effective supervision of

inmates. Recruitment and retention of

qualified jail staff may be either facilitated

or impeded by the compensation and benefit

packages offered by the local government.

The costs incurred through staff turnover

and the need to upgrade the skills of less

competent staff are often found to be

greater than the cost of reasonable compensation to recruit and retain qualified

individuals.The funding authority’s support

for basic inmate services, a range of inmate

programs, and comprehensive staff training

also helps ensure effective inmate supervision and behavior management.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Inmate programs can

assist with inmate

reintegration into the

community and may

reduce recidivism.
Inmate Programs

Inmate programs typically refer to the activities

offered as self-help opportunities. Inmate programs can assist with inmate reintegration into

the community and may have the potential to

reduce recidivism. Such programs also provide

for constructive release of stress resulting from

incarceration. They contribute to security and

overall jail management by constructively occupying inmates’ time. Examples of inmate programs include educational opportunities,

library services, substance abuse education,

life-skills instruction, and recreation.

Fair Treatment of Inmates

Fundamental fairness in the treatment of inmates

rests primarily in two areas: the inmate discipline process and the inmate grievance process.

Inmate Discipline Process

A formal, written inmate disciplinary plan is

the key to safety and security. Discipline, often

incorrectly viewed as synonymous with punishment, is integral to inmate supervision and

behavior management. Discipline is the ongoing

correction of undesirable inmate behavior; it is

not the same as punishment imposed once an

inmate’s behavior has deteriorated beyond the

point of correction. Discipline includes staff

coaching of inmates to improve marginal behavior and deter rule infractions. It also includes

positive reinforcement for positive behavior. It

is critical that the disciplinary process be fair.

Inmates must be fully informed of rules and the

sanctions for violating rules. Rules should be

upheld consistently over time and from inmate

to inmate. 

20

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

The funding authority can support the provision of programs and services in the jail by—

• Providing direct funding to the jail for

staffing and service requirements.

• Contracting with outside vendors (for

example, food service or health care

providers) to provide the services.

• Directing other county agencies to provide services to the jail (for example,

county health, hospital, or mental health

agencies).

• Establishing intergovernmental agreements to secure services (for example,

schools or community colleges).

• Engaging community providers to provide services (for example, nonprofit

service providers or faith groups).

• Funding renovation or construction to

provide appropriate space within the jail

for programs and services.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Discipline is the ongoing 

correction of undesirable 

inmate behavior; it is not the

same as punishment imposed

once an inmate’s behavior 

has deteriorated beyond the 

point of correction.
Inmate Grievance Process

Fundamental fairness in the jail extends to providing inmates with the opportunity to air and

resolve grievances. Incarceration brings with it

a sense of helplessness and loss of control over

many aspects of the inmate’s life. Inmates who

are not provided with a means to voice complaints or concerns and get them resolved will

likely get the staff’s attention in a much less

desirable manner. Unresolved grievances may

lead to inmate disturbances and other disruptive behavior. The grievance process should be

in writing and inmates should be fully

informed of the process.

Adequate Bed-Space

Capacity

Jails with adequate capacity are those with sufficient bed space to house the number and type

of persons incarcerated by the local criminal

justice system. Jails should be able to accomplish this without consistently exceeding the

number of inmates the jail was designed to hold

and without requiring the system to modify its

desired detention and incarceration policies. 

Management Issues

Jails without adequate capacity often face significant management problems due to crowding, particularly in the following areas. 

Inmate management. In the crowded jail, staff

cannot effectively house and manage inmates

according to the risks and needs they present.

Security. Security is threatened when too few

staff members are present to monitor too many

inmates.

Programs and services. Crowding overloads

programs and services that have been designed,

staffed, and scheduled for fewer inmates,

increasing inmate idleness and tension. 

Court-imposed capacity limits. When a jail is

crowded, the likelihood of a lawsuit is substantial. Such a lawsuit may result in court-imposed

limits on the number of inmates who can be

held in the facility. Capacity limits often result

in inmates being transported to and boarded in

other jurisdictions, which increases taxpayer

costs and disrupts institutional operations. 

Impact on the Criminal Justice System

A crowded jail may discourage judicial officials

from placing persons in jail who should otherwise be confined. Also, jail crowding may affect

law enforcement agencies’ decisions regarding

whether to arrest certain types of offenders and

take them to the jail.7

21

Effective Jail Operations: Key Elements

➤

➤

Although it is the jail’s responsibility

to develop and implement inmate

disciplinary and grievance processes,

the funding authority has an interest

in ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place and are being

followed. Funding authorities should

be assured that liability risks in this

area are being appropriately managed.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY
22

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

The funding authority can help ensure adequate jail capacity in the following ways.

Leadership.The funding authority can

facilitate and support systemwide communication and problem solving related to jail

crowding.Through cooperative efforts of

key criminal justice system decisionmakers,

it may be possible to divert certain nonviolent offenders from the jail.

Advocacy.The funding authority may opt

to work with legislators to promote legislation that encourages appropriate use

of the jail through enabling language and

funding for an array of community justice

programs.

Planning. The funding authority can be

proactive in planning for future bed-space

needs through the development of a longrange justice system master plan. A master

system decisionmakers to use in shaping

their policy and practices regarding use of

the jail.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

Construction/expansion. The funding

authority may need to replace outdated

facilities or expand current facilities to

meet current and future demand.

Boarding contracts and/or cooperative ventures. The funding authority may

look to neighboring counties to contract

for bed space or to establish a cooperative agreement for development of a joint

facility to serve multiple jurisdictions.The

latter sometimes provides smaller jurisdictions the economy of scale needed to justify costs of maintaining the jail.

Criminal justice coordinating committee. Determining adequate capacity is

somewhat difficult, given that jail use is so

driven by policies and laws. An effective

strategy for managing the jail population and

ensuring adequate jail capacity is to establish

a criminal justice coordinating committee.

The coordinating committee should consist

of key justice officials responsible for monitoring and managing system-level policies

that affect the size and makeup of the jail

population.
Compliance With

Standards, Regulations,

and Codes

Jail standards are discussed in chapter 4.

Beyond jail standards, jails may be subject to

a variety of regulations, including fire codes,

health codes, building codes, and workplace

codes. Compliance with the Life Safety Code

requirements of the National Fire Protection

Association and with Americans with Disabilities

Act requirements is also critical. Each regulating agency may have provisions for inspection,

compliance monitoring, and enforcement. 

A Safe, Clean, and WellMaintained Physical

Environment

A safe, clean, and well-maintained jail is essential to the health and well-being of inmates,

staff, and visitors. Inattention to safety and sanitation issues contributes to accidents and the

spread of disease. Poor jail conditions increase

inmate tension and negatively affect staff morale

and productivity. Courts have ruled that keeping

inmates in unsafe or unhealthy conditions may

constitute cruel and unusual punishment. 

Both the funding authority and jail officials

have an interest in ensuring that the jail is safe,

clean, and in good repair. The jail should have

in place written safety, sanitation, and preventive maintenance plans that define staff responsibilities in each area. In addition to these

internal plans, inspections by such external

agencies as the fire and health departments

should be documented along with corrections

of deficiencies.

23

Effective Jail Operations: Key Elements

➤

➤

Funding authorities should support the

jail’s efforts to comply with jail standards,

regulations, and codes.To give informed

support, funding authorities should know

the standards, regulations, and codes that

apply to their jail and should stay current

on the jail’s compliance status. If the jail

is cited for violations (particularly those

appearing to require additional resources),

the funding authority and jail officials

will need to work cooperatively to

address these issues.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY
24

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

The funding authority can help ensure an

acceptable jail environment by monitoring

conditions and addressing maintenance needs.

Monitoring jail conditions. Funding

authority members should be aware of

conditions in the jail and should remain

current on issues that could affect the

overall quality of the jail environment.

Funding authorities can affect jail safety,

sanitation, and overall conditions by regularly visiting the jail to assess the environment

and by working with jail officials to develop

and implement a jail safety and sanitation

plan. Regular assessment of the jail by funding authority members, jail officials, and

outside inspectors should ensure that—

• All areas of the jail are clean and orderly.

• Lighting, ventilation, and heating equipment is functioning properly.

• No fire, health, or safety hazards exist.

• All detection and suppression systems,

equipment, tools, and security devices

are functioning properly.

ROLE OF THE

FUNDING

AUTHORITY

• All inmates performing labor (such as

laundry, kitchen tasks, sanitation tasks,

grounds work) are receiving appropriate

supervision and training in the use of hazardous materials, equipment, and tools.

• All plumbing equipment, including showers, sinks, toilets, and laundry facilities, is

clean and functioning properly.

• All identified deficiencies are promptly

reported and corrected.

Fire and health codes and jail standards

address many of the issues described above.

These standards provide a tool for assessing sanitation, safety, and overall quality of

life in the jail.

Addressing maintenance needs.When

inspections identify problems, the funding

authority and jail officials should develop a

plan to address the deficiencies promptly.To

achieve and maintain a decent physical environment, budgeting for the jail should

include provision for preventive maintenance of facilities and equipment as well as

resources for prompt repairs when needed.
Chapter 6

FUNDING AUTHORITY ROLES AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

Funding authorities have specific responsibilities regarding the jail,

generally related to budget and capital resources. Also, statutes in

many states provide the funding authority with some monitoring

and oversight responsibilities. In carrying out these roles and

responsibilities, the funding authority, as much

as jail officials, is responsible for effective jail

functioning in the local criminal justice system.

Supporting Effective 

Jail Functioning

The funding authority can contribute to effective

functioning of the local jail in a variety of ways.

The funding

authority, as much

as jail officials,

is responsible 

for effective jail

functioning in

the local criminal

justice system.
Be Knowledgeable

The funding authority can ensure an adequate

level of knowledge through—

● Visits. Visit the jail regularly to observe operations, assess conditions, and identify needs.

Make a point to visit during peak activity

times, such as on a Friday night in the booking room or during Monday morning court

transport.

● Training. Attend training to learn about jail

issues and trends.

● Resource materials. Read jail-related periodicals and publications.

● Reports. To monitor progress and determine

needed improvements, thoroughly review

jail-related reports prepared by jail officials,

inspection officials, and others.

● Meetings. Meet with jail officials regularly to

review accomplishments, discuss needs, and

address issues. Be available to jail officials at

other times to address unexpected problems.

Be Proactive

The funding authority can be proactive

through—

● Problem solving. Work with jail officials to

solve problems in their early stages, before

they become crises.

● Development of alternatives. Support the

development and use of nonjail options as a

means of managing the jail population.

● Risk management. Place a high priority on

risk management. Work with jail officials and

the risk management entity to identify and

address high-risk issues.

● Standards. Work with jail officials to achieve

and maintain compliance with jail standards,

fire codes, health codes, and other regulations.

● Staffing. Reach agreement with jail officials

on a jail staffing plan and provide the resources

necessary to implement it. Make sure the

plan is updated at least annually. Work with

jail officials on staffing and related labor issues

to support recruitment and retention of a

qualified work force.

● Technology. Provide the jail with the necessary current computer technology and related

resources.

Secure Adequate Resources

In securing adequate resources, the funding

authority must address—

● Budget. Provide an adequate budget to cover

jail operating costs. Work with jail officials

to establish objectives consistent with the

jail’s mission, and outline a spending plan

designed to achieve those objectives. Be

aware that the jail is particularly vulnerable

to unanticipated expenses over which jail

officials have no control.

● County resources. Explore the use of resources

available through other county departments,

such as nurses from the county health department, legal support from the county counsel,

and meals from the county hospital.

● Grants, subsidies, and entitlements. Explore

grant funding for certain jail needs and activities, and take advantage of reimbursements

and subsidies available through federal and

state programs.

● Cooperative agreements. Explore opportunities for sharing costs with other jurisdictions

26

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤
to secure needed services that may be otherwise

cost prohibitive for individual jurisdictions.

● Revenue. Work with jail officials to identify

potential revenue sources, such as inmate

boarding fees, commissary profits, and telephone charges. Revenues generated by or

through the jail should be reinvested into

the jail budget.

Provide Leadership

The funding authority can provide leadership

through—

● Criminal justice system coordination. Initiate

and support the coordination of decision making by criminal justice system officials on

policies that affect the jail directly or indirectly.

● Qualifications and skills of jail officials.

Ensure that jail officials have the necessary

skills in planning, budget, and jail administration. Provide resources for training in

these areas.

Be an Advocate

Finally, the funding authority can serve as an

advocate for—

● Legislation. Work to promote passage of

responsible legislation that affects the use of

the jail. Be alert to proposals that place unrealistic expectations on the jail, such as those

related to changes in criminal penalties and

diversion of state inmates into local jails.

● Community education. Work with jail officials to develop a strong public education

strategy that inspires public confidence in

and support of the jail.

Monitoring and Oversight

The funding authority’s responsibilities for jail

monitoring and oversight vary from state to

state and within Indian country. The monitoring

role provides a means for the funding authority

and jail officials to carry out their responsibilities in a coordinated fashion. The funding

authority and jail officials should establish a

proactive strategy that includes a mutually

agreed-upon process for assessing jail operations and management and for reviewing jail

conditions. It is important and appropriate for

the funding authority to have an active and

meaningful role in addressing jail liability and

cost issues.

Funding authority members can use various

methods to monitor the jail. These include visits

to the jail, discussions with jail officials, review

of external jail inspection reports, and review

of reports and data generated by the jail. The

27

Funding Authority Roles and Responsibilities

➤

➤

The funding authority and jail

officials should establish a proactive

strategy that includes a mutually

agreed-upon process for assessing

jail operations and management

and for reviewing jail conditions.
funding authority and jail officials should come

to an agreement on—

● The indicators of performance.

● How often the jail should provide information

related to the indicators to the funding authority. 

● In what form the jail will provide information to the funding authority.

● The process for taking corrective action,

when needed.

A number of indicators may be used to assess a

jail’s performance in critical areas. (See “Jail

Efficiency Indicators,” “Jail Effectiveness

Indicators,” and “Jail Quality Indicators.”)

28

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

Indicators include the following:

• Per diem cost of housing prisoners.

• Cost per meal for food services.

• Medical cost per prisoner.

• Costs recovered from inmate health insurance.

• Saved costs from U.S. Department of Agriculture

commodity programs.

• Use of volunteer and existing community services

to provide program services and offset costs (dollar

value).

• Use of inmate workers for facility sanitation, meal

service, laundry service, and grounds maintenance to

offset operational costs (number of hours).

• Community service work hours performed within

the community (dollar value).

• Victim restitution (fines and fees collected).

• Revenues generated from collect call telephones,

inmate commissary, prisoner boarding, booking fees

collected from user agencies, etc.

• Staff retention rate and/or turnover rate.

• Staff absenteeism.

• Staff disciplinary actions and terminations.

• Overtime expenditures and rationale.

• Number and type of substantiated staff misconduct

reports.

JAIL EFFICIENCY INDICATORS

Jail efficiency indicators may be presented in terms of cost effectiveness and personnel matters.

Funding authority members can use such measures to gauge the efficiency of jail operations from 

one period to another or to compare their operations to those of similar jurisdictions.
JAIL EFFECTIVENESS INDICATORS

Jail effectiveness indicators represent a measure of overall facility functioning in terms of security, safety, health, inmate

behavior, and program participation. Funding authority members can use such indicators to identify areas of concern in key

areas directly related to the mission of the organization.They also can use such indicators to track changes over time.

29

Funding Authority Roles and Responsibilities

➤

➤

Security Indicators

• Number of escapes from the facility.

• Number of searches or incidents where weapons,

drugs, or other illegal items were discovered.

• Whether all staff are trained and tested in CPR, first aid,

and all facility emergency and evacuation procedures.

Safety Indicators

• Number and type of accidents where injury to

inmates or staff occurred.

• Number and type of Workman’s Compensation claims.

• Number and type of incidents involving inmates

assaulting other inmates.

• Number and type of incidents involving inmates

assaulting staff.

• Number and type of substantiated incidents of staff

misconduct.

• Number and type of documented incidents of staff

use of force.

• Fire code violations discovered during annual fire

inspections that present significant safety risks.

• Number of incidents where the classification system is

compromised and inmates are housed inappropriately.

Health Indicators

• Number and type of medical emergencies involving

inmates (such as trips to the emergency room, emergency response by medical professionals to facility).

• Number and type of sick call requests.

• Number and type of doctor visits.

• Number and type of inmate hospitalizations.

• Number and type of suicides or suicide attempts.

• Number and type of inmate deaths due to other

causes.

• Number and type of health code violations discovered during inspections.

Inmate Behavior Indicators

• Number and type of major inmate rule violations and

disciplinary hearings.

• Number and type of reports of vandalism or destruction of facility property by inmates and repair costs.

• Number and type of inmates charged with new

crimes while incarcerated.

• Number and type of inmate grievances upheld.

Program Participation Indicators

• Number of inmates attending general equivalency

diploma (GED) classes or completing their GED.

• Number of inmates participating in a work-release

program.

• Average percentage of inmates participating in educational programs, religious services, self-help programs,

recreation, substance abuse programs, counseling, etc.
30

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

Indicators include the following:

• Number and type of violations reported by the

health and sanitation inspector.

• Number and type of violations reported by the fire

and safety inspector.

• Number and type of violations of state standards.

• Number of inmate grievances regarding the facility or

operations.

• Number of valid external citizen complaints.

• Number of inoperative plumbing fixtures, light fixtures,

HVAC systems, fire protection systems, or security

systems not repaired within 30 days of discovery.

• Number of inmate-occupied areas with significant

vandalism, broken furnishings, and excessive clutter.

• Positive responses to inmate exit surveys/interviews.

• Negative and/or positive press or media reports.

• Inspection violations from the risk management

authority.

• Favorable living environment conducive to avoiding

sickness and spread of disease.

• Adequate capacity to ensure compliance with classification, separation, and space requirements.

• Type and extent of inmate litigation and lawsuits.

• Training and orientation of all staff in handling bloodborne pathogens and in infectious and communicable

disease prevention.

• Basic preservice and inservice training of all staff in

compliance with state and/or national standards.

JAIL QUALITY INDICATORS

Overall jail quality indicators attempt to measure compliance with standards; health, fire,

and other safety requirements; overall environmental conditions in the facility; facility 

vandalism and destruction; grievance reports; and public user satisfaction.
➤

➤

31

NOTES

1. See W.C. Collins, Jail Design and Operation and the Constitution:

An Overview, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National

Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 014848, 1998.

2. See Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center, Sourcebook of

Criminal Justice Statistics, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of

Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998.

3. See B. Krauth, Staff/Inmate Ratios: Why It’s So Hard to Get to the

Bottom Line, NIC Information Center, NIC accession no. 007105,

1988; D.R. Liebert and R. Miller, Staffing Analysis Workbook for Jails,

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of

Corrections, NIC accession no. 016827, 2001.

4. See T. Reid, Cost-Effective In-Service Training Alternatives for

Small Jails, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National

Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 013923, 1997.

5. See M.D. Martin, Developing/Revising Detention Facility Policies

and Procedures, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,

National Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 013551, 1996.

6. See J. Austin, Objective Jail Classification Systems: A Guide for

Jail Administrators, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,

National Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 014373, 1998.
7. For additional relevant information, see R.C.

Cushman, Guidelines for Developing a Criminal

Justice Coordinating Committee, Washington,

DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute

of Corrections, NIC accession no. 017232, 2002;

M.A. Cunniff, Jail Crowding: Understanding Jail

Population Dynamics, Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Justice, National Institute of

Corrections, NIC accession no. 017209, 2002;

and Pretrial Services Resource Center, A Second

Look at Alleviating Jail Crowding—A Systems

Perspective, Washington, DC: U.S. Department

of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, NCJ

182507, 2000.

32

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤
➤

➤

33

REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDED

INFORMATION RESOURCES

The following documents are available free of charge from the

National Institute of Corrections Information Center. The Information

Center can be reached at 800–877–1461. Information on these and

other available documents can be found on NIC’s Web site at

www.nicic.org.

Austin, J. Objective Jail Classification Systems: A Guide for Jail

Administrators. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,

National Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 014373, 1998.

Collins, W.C. Jail Design and Operation and the Constitution: An

Overview. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National

Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 014848, 1998.

Cunniff, M.A. Jail Crowding: Understanding Jail Population

Dynamics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National

Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 017209, 2002.

Cushman, R.C. Guidelines for Developing a Criminal Justice

Coordinating Committee. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,

National Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no. 017209, 2002.

Cushman, R.C. Preventing Jail Crowding: A Practical Guide. 2d ed.

Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute 

of Corrections, NIC accession no. 016720, 2002.

Hindelang Criminal Justice Research Center. Sourcebook of

Criminal Justice Statistics, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of

Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998.
34

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know

➤

➤

Kimme & Associates, Inc. Jail Design Guide: A

Resource for Small and Medium-Sized Jails.

NIC accession no. 015061, 1998.

Kimme Planning & Architecture. Small Jail

Special Issues. NIC accession no. 004957, 1986.

Krauth, B. Staff/Inmate Ratios: Why It’s So Hard

to Get to the Bottom Line. NIC Information Center,

NIC accession no. 007105, 1988.

Liebert, D.R., and R. Miller. Staffing Analysis

Workbook for Jails. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Justice, National Institute of

Corrections, NCJ 016827, 2001.

Martin, M.D. Developing/Revising Detention

Facility Policies and Procedures. Washington,

DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National

Institute of Corrections, NIC accession no.

013551, 1996.

Pretrial Services Resource Center. A Second

Look at Alleviating Jail Crowding—A Systems

Perspective. Washington, DC: U.S. Department

of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, NCJ

182507, 2000.

Reid, T. Cost-Effective In-Service Training

Alternatives for Small Jails. Washington, DC:

U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute

of Corrections, NIC accession no. 013923, 1997.
Your evaluation is very important to us. It will help our planning efforts.

How would you describe your position? ______________________________________________________

What is your intended use of this document?

❍ I am a member of a jail funding authority and I want to learn more about basic jail issues.

❍ I am responsible for jail operations and I want to inform my funding authority about jail issues.

❍ I am a corrections consultant and I want to help my jail clients inform their funding authorities about jail issues.

❍ I work for a professional organization and I want to use this as a resource for our members.

❍ Other (please explain): __________________________________________________________________

How well will this document serve your purpose? ❍ Not at all ❍ Minimally ❍ Adequately ❍ Very well

Please tell us why you gave this answer: ______________________________________________________

General comments and suggestions: __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Name (optional): ________________________________________________________________________

Agency or organization name (optional): ______________________________________________________

Address (optional): ______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone number (optional): ______________________________________________________________

➤

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS

JAIL RESOURCE ISSUES

What Every Funding Authority Needs To Know
U.S. Department of Justice

National Institute of Corrections

Washington, DC 20534