Adult correctional facilities

The 2019 Census of Jails (COJ) is part of a series of data collections that studies the nation's local jails and the 12 Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) detention facilities that function as jails. The 2019 COJ collected data necessary for producing estimates on local jail populations, including one-day custody counts by sex, race and Hispanic origin, conviction status, and severity of offense (felony and misdemeanor); counts of non-U.S. citizens by conviction status; juvenile counts; holds for state and federal authorities; admissions and releases; and average daily population by sex.

Administered to a sample of approximately 950 local jails (city, county, regional, and private) nationwide, the Annual Survey of Jails (ASJ) provides national estimates on the number of inmates confined in jails, demographic characteristics and criminal justice status of the jail population, holds for federal and state prison authorities, counts of admissions and releases, number of jail employees, and rated capacity.

Collects detailed information on confinement facilities, detention centers, jails, and other facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Information is gathered on inmate counts, movements, facility operations, and staff. In selected years (1998, 2004, 2007, and 2011), additional information was collected on facility programs and services, such as medical assessments and mental health screening procedures, inmate work assignments, counseling, and educational programs.

Conducted periodically, the survey provides information on individual characteristics of jail inmates, current offenses and detention status, characteristics of victims, criminal histories, family background, gun possession and use, prior drug and alcohol use and treatment, medical and mental health history and treatment, vocational programs and other services provided while in jails, as well as other personal characteristics. Data are collected through personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of inmates in local jails.

The 2005 Census of Jail Inmates is part of a series of data collection efforts aimed at studying the nation's locally-administered jails. To reduce respondent burden and improve data quality and timeliness, the Census was split into two data collections: the Census of Jail Inmates and the Census of Jail Facilities. The Census of Jail Inmates (CJI) collects data on jail jurisdictions' supervised populations, inmate counts and movements, and persons supervised in the community.

The survey focused on critical issues related to jail operations and inmate management, information on offender flows through local jails, corresponding workloads, and jail programs and treatment. Specifically, the survey measured the number of jail admissions, including conviction status, most serious offenses, and screening at intake for mental health disorders, risk of suicide, and drug use. It also included questions on the number of inmates participating in counseling and special programs, number of inmates discharged, types of releases, and lengths of stay.