Seeking Solutions for Chronic Jail Overcrowding

Chronic jail overcrowding in Cincinnati, as well as a rejected increase in countywide sales tax, has led to the commission of The Vera Institute of Justice to help focus resources. According to the March 19, 2008 Cincinnati Enquirer, ("Jail Population Changes Over 4 Years")'More people were booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center in 2006 than in 2002 and more of them had multiple charges filed against them. But - with the exception of those charged with very serious crimes - inmates did not stay in jail as long."

The article adds, "The findings were among many released Tuesday in a study aimed at finding ways to reduce the county's jail population. It is unclear how much of the decline in the length of stay was because of rehabilitation and intervention programs and how much was because of early releases. The study found that those jailed on drunken driving and other motor vehicle charges spent less time in jail in 2006. Hamilton County Municipal Judge Nadine Allen attributed the drop to new intervention programs."

According to the article, "The study examined and compared jail bookings in 2006 and 2002. In 2006, for example, 31,020 people were booked on 48,267 charges. In 2002, 29,488 people were booked on 44,459 charges. The results were released during a meeting of the Criminal Justice Commission, a group of local leaders in the criminal justice field working to increase public safety. The Vera Institute recommended the group study those jailed on drug and property charges. Those offenders took up a lot of jail beds and could potentially benefit the most from diversion programs, Tombs said. It also recommended the county look into getting a new data management system, streamline its criminal justice procedures, create a tool to measure recidivism and adopt a program to assess inmates risks and needs. The report didn't cost county taxpayers anything; Vera paid for it using federal grant money."