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Women in Jail - A Description of the Awaiting Trial Unit at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Framingham

NCJ Number
89509
Author(s)
L Lorant
Date Published
1983
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This study analyzes the population count and population movement patterns of the women at the Awaiting Trial Unit (ATU) at MCI-Framingham, which is used to house women awaiting a court hearing, waiting to make bail, or being held for some authority.
Abstract
In 1982, the average population at the ATU was 44. With a rated capacity of 17, this meant that the facility was operating on average at 159 percent over capacity, representing an 83 percent growth in population from 1981, when the average population was 24. In 1982, there were 1,270 admissions to the ATU, a 38 percent increase in admissions over 1981. The median length of stay in the ATU in 1982 was 5 days, an increase from 3 days in 1975. Admissions during 1982 were from all parts of the States, including Suffolk County (45 percent), Middlesex County (16 percent), Hampden County (9 percent), Essex, Plymouth, and Worcester County (6 percent each). In 1982, most women released from the ATU were bailed (36 percent) or returned to court (46 percent). Only 13 percent of the 1982 admissions to the ATU resulted in an individual moving directly from the ATU to the sentenced population at MCI-Framingham. There is clearly a need for an alternative to ATU. Because it is considered a temporary custody unit, it does not offer the treatment many of the women require. Although the median time in the ATU was 5 days, there were several cases where stays extended to 303 days. Other means should be devised for a woman who cannot afford bail to earn the money required for release. Overall, the rapidly increasing population at ATU necessitates a review of its function and its efficiency in handling the diverse population of women. Tabular and graphic data are provided.