U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Study of the Local Secure Facilities in Minnesota - Jail Study Report

NCJ Number
81522
Date Published
1977
Length
364 pages
Annotation
This report provides jail statistics for Minnesota, as well as data on operating and construction costs and possible improvements to local jails with attention to the role of the Governor's Crime Commission.
Abstract
Data are presented for all 62 lockups, holding facilities, jails, and unclassified facilities in Minnesota with the exception of the urban Hennepin and Ramsey County facilities and juvenile detention centers. The research strategy involved collecting 1975 statistical information on all detainees and court dispositions in 15 sample counties, interviewing over 150 jail employees, surveying sheriffs or chief jailers and inmates in 13 facilities, and studying costs in 4 jails. Individual report sections discuss crime and demographic statistics, facility capacities and physical conditions, and pretrial and sentencing alternatives to incarceration. An analysis of costs addresses operational expenses, capital costs, and plans for construction or renovation. The report examines the impact of the 1975 Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure on jail populations and the impact of the 1973 Community Correction Act which provided State funds for county correctional services. Finally, the study's major findings are summarized, and corrective measures are recommended. Major problems are identified as poor physical conditions of many jails, poor separation of inmate groups, imbalance in security levels, lack of programming, no treatment for substance abusers, poor screening at intake, and inadequate training for custodial staff. Maps, tables, and footnotes are provided. The appendixes contain a list of the 62 jail systems studied, survey questionnaires, and additional statistics.