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14 American J. Crim. Just. 1 (1989-1990)

handle is hein.journals/acnjrlocm14 and id is 1 raw text is: AJCJ, Vol XIV, No. 1, (1989) TRENDS IN JAIL ADMISSIONS RATES Rosemary L. Gido ABSTRACT Historical data on national and state jail admissions trends have not been fully explored for theoretical and empirical insights into what causes jail populations to vary over time. This study draws on New York State historical jail records, research on national and state imprisonment trends, and macro perspectives on crime control and punishment. The analysis explores some of the possible causal relationships between variation in jail admissions and unemployment, major demographic trends, war, depression, jail capacity, and law enforcement and judicial practices. Theoretical, methodological, and operational implications of the research are discussed. INTRODUCTION National statistics indicate that crowding continues to be the major issue confronting local jails across the country (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1987). As the spillover from record state prison population growth confounds efforts to alleviate the problem, there is a new focus of interest by researchers and policy makers alike on the legal, operational, and administrative problems of contemporary jails (Mays and Thompson, 1988; National Institute of Justice, 1988; Thompson, 1986). Yet, the current jail population crisis is by no means a new phenomenon. Periods of acute jail population growth have marked the history of this stepchild of the criminal justice system over the last 150 years. The ebb and flow of population, crime waves, penal reform and punishment sentiment are among the factors that have affected the size and composition of the offender population of local jails over time. Between 1830 and 1860, social reform movements in this country spawned institutions for orphans, poor and delinquent children (houses of refuge) and mental asylums, removing whole classes of offenders from local jails (Wayson et al., 1977). 1