Gordon Graham
Category: Corrections
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today’s Tip is for all my friends in corrections. I’d like to talk about jail overcrowding.
Even with countless attempts to address the issue, jail overcrowding remains a serious and ongoing problem.
The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with around 2 million adults in our jails, prisons, and other correctional facilities.
Many facilities are overcrowded and operating at well over 100 percent of their rated capacity.
When jails become overcrowded, it affects the safety of inmates, staff, and visitors. Overcrowding can increase tension and violence, and lead to reduced resources and inadequate medical and mental health care. In a post-COVID world, we must also be mindful that overcrowding can lead to the spread of communicable diseases and higher infection rates.
An overcrowded jail strains your staff and increases the risk of burnout, job dissatisfaction, and recruitment and staffing issues. Overcrowding makes it harder to manage and properly monitor a large number of inmates. The results? You guessed it, folks. Reduced ability to maintain control and ensure the safety and security of everyone in the facility.
So, what can we do to alleviate overcrowding? First, it’s critical to monitor your daily population reports and ensure your inmate population doesn’t exceed the approved bed capacity. Consider forming a committee to identify potential solutions, such as increasing mental health and substance use services.
Other strategies include community-based programs, pretrial diversion and early release programs, or even new facility construction. You should work with your jurisdiction’s court system to divert non-violent offenders away from custody and toward other forms of rehabilitation. Involve the community and relevant stakeholders to come up with a wide range of solutions that help address overcrowding.
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Until next time, Gordon Graham signing off.
