What Is Jail? History, Administration and Structure

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
History and Development of Jail
Jail Administration and Structure
Jail Based Treatment Programs
Conclusion
References

Abstract

The criminal justice system is supported by various institutions to ensure that there is peace and order. Jail is among the institutions that are used to help address the problem of crime and criminal activities. Unlike prisons, jails are designed to confine individuals in a small location as they await trial.

The need for jails is informed by the fact that there will always be criminals in society. Considering the cases about Kallikak and Jukes families, antisocial behavior is hereditary. However, there is a possibility that ones behavior may also be influenced by the environment he or she is surrounded with. Consequently, people may be incarcerated because of their past family history.

By and large, jails provide entry into the correction system and ensure that those arrested for involvement in criminal activities are monitored before being subjected to trial. Although jails are meant for offenders whose sentences are one year or less, there are instances when a jail term may be extended beyond one year.

Introduction

Jails were initially conceived in England as a place to be used to detain suspected offenders until an appropriate time to subject them to trial (Siegel & Bartollas, 2015). Jails in present-day society are designed to serve as detention and punishment facilities.

This paper attempts to provide an understanding of what jail is and how it fits within the criminal justice system of any nation. It looks at the history and development of jails, administration and structure, and programs that are used by jails around the world to reform convicted offenders.

What is Jail?

Jail is a small lock-up place that is used to hold offenders for a brief moment (Hutchinson, 2014). Typically, a jail is managed by a local government and is meant to confine individuals who have been accused of committing small offenses. Jail is, however, different from a lock-up facility. A lock-up facility is normally found within police departments and is used to hold individuals who are unable to pay the required bail.

According to Clear, Reisig, Petrosino, and Cole (2016), jails provide entry into the correction system and a house for accused persons waiting for trial and people who have been sentenced. In some cases, an offender may be kept in jail for a longer period if the court determines that his or her sentence is less than a year. However, it is common for jail terms to extend beyond a year.

After arrest by law enforcement officers, the first place that offenders are taken to is jail. Ordinary, there will be at least one jail in every city. Even though they are comparable, there is a big difference between jails and prisons. Generally, prisons are larger and are meant to hold convicted offenders for a longer period. In addition, jails are mainly used to detain individuals waiting to be tried in a court of law. Another notable difference is that prisons are usually managed by the state government.

History and Development of Jail

As earlier explained, jails were initially conceived in England for detaining suspected offenders before they could be subjected to trial. Drawing from a study by NI (2016b), jail and other correctional facilities are vital for any society to function in an orderly manner. This is well demonstrated by the case about the descendants of Martin Kallikak and further confirmed by the case of Jukes family. In both cases, it is alleged that children who are born and raised in families with a history of wrongdoing inherit similar traits and are likely to be apprehended during their lifetime. However, the case about Jukes family indicates the possibility of people being influenced by the environment they live in (NI, 2016a).

According to Siegel and Bartollas (2015), the original jails in the United States were made of small rooms that could not accommodate more than thirty suspected offenders. These early jails were mainly located in sheriffs homes and were thus managed like sheriffs households (Clear, Reisig, Petrosino & Cole, 2016). Jails in the early days also used a fee system that required all inmates to pay for their food and services. Sadly, individuals who were unable to pay would be fed on leftovers to starve them to death.

Jails in modern-day society have, however, gone through so much transformation and deal with issues very differently. Most jails in the contemporary world are based on structures that ensure efficiency in the way services are delivered. Ultimately, there is a strong desire to establish jails that can transform individuals in society to become better people. After undergoing the jail correction process, it is presumed that an individual will change and become more responsible.

Jail Administration and Structure

Drawing from the study by Siegel and Bartollas (2015), jails are viewed as highly political institutions with an elected official that is fully responsible for what happens within the jail precincts. Ostensibly, there are three alternatives to local control of jails. They include state-run jails, cooperative arrangements, and state-subsidized programs. By and large, jail administrators are legally responsible for individuals placed under their care. They are expected to attain certain established standards even if they do not have sufficient resources to do so.

There are three possible generations of jail supervision. The first type is the first-generation jail intended to offer sporadic inspection of prisoners. Officers are required to supervise inmates during intermittent tours of cell blocks where inmates are confined. The second-generation jail is designed to facilitate indirect supervision remotely. Usually, the officers station is located inside a secure room that is completely isolated from where inmates live. The third type is the new generation jail which relies on direct supervision of the inmates. Currently, the United States has over 500 new generation jails.

Jail Based Treatment Programs

Because of the rising level of crime in society, jails are faced with the major challenge of providing basic needs for those awaiting trial. Other than serving as detention and punishment facilities, jails also play a very key role in the rehabilitation process. As can be deduced from the case about the Kallikak family, educating convicted offenders can help them to become useful in society (NI, 2016b). Similarly, the case about the Jukes family shows that educating offenders and offering them good housing can support their reform process (NI, 2016a).

Through various treatment programs, jail administrators can support offenders in their journey to recovery. Large jails, for example, offer a variety of treatment programs which include basic education programs, drug and alcohol treatment programs, and counseling. Ideally, these programs are meant to help in reforming inmates. The idea behind these programs is to primarily guide inmates and prepare them for their release. Normally, programs are carefully designed to ensure that once offenders are granted their freedom, they can easily be integrated back into their communities (Rothbard et al., 2009). In the absence of programs such as these, offenders risk being rejected by members of their communities out of fear that they might be involved in other dangerous activities that may harm others. It is thus imperative to have in place a program that creates an assurance for offenders after release.

Conclusion

Jails are among the most critical institutions in society that are used to ensure that criminals are treated fairly. As pointed out in this paper, jails serve as an entry to the correction system. One of the key roles undertaken by jails is to rehabilitate offenders and help them to return to their communities as useful people.

Unfortunately, the effectiveness of jails has been greatly hampered by the increased number of criminal activities in various cities across the world. To a large extent, the rising number of offenders makes it very difficult for jails to provide basic needs for individuals waiting for trials to begin. Jails also have to deal with other issues such as substance abuse as well as medical and legal problems that affect inmates.

Considering how jails have evolved to the level of offering specialized services, it is obvious that continual improvement will make future jails more friendly and effective, unlike the earlier ones. The ultimate goal is to ensure people are treated with dignity.

References

Clear, T. R., Reisig, M. D., Petrosino, C. & Cole, G. F. (2016). American Corrections in Brief. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Hutchinson, S. (2014). Whats the Difference between Prison and Jail? Web.

Net Industries (NI). (2016a). Jukes Family. Web.

Net Industries (NI). (2016b).Kallikak Family. Web.

Rothbard A. B., Wald, H., Zubritsky, C., Jaquette, N. & Chhatre S. (2009). Effectiveness of a Jail-Based Treatment Program for Individuals with Co-Occurring Disorders. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 27(4), 643 654.

Siegel, L. J. & Bartollas, C. (2015). Corrections Today. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

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