Diversity of release patterns for jail detainees: implications for public health interventions.

Abstract

We sought to develop a detailed description of the variety of jail release patterns and to learn what factors affect the length of stay (LOS). The main data set for the study came from a biennial Bureau of Justice Statistics survey on felony defendants in large urban counties. The median LOS for the felony defendants was 7 days. One quarter of the jails had a median LOS of less than 2 days; median LOS for 75% of the jails was less than 15 days. Median regression showed that male gender, previous arrests, and violent charges were predictive of longer LOS. The diversity in release patterns among jails has not been previously described. A public health intervention feasible in one jail may not be feasible in another because of the heterogeneity of release patterns. Individual inmate characteristics could predict a slower rate of release.