NCJ Number
58316
Date Published
1977
Length
61 pages
Annotation
STATISTICAL DATA REGARDING COMMITMENTS TO COUNTY AND CITY JAILS AND CITY JAIL FARMS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1977, COMPILED BY THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ARE APPENDED.
Abstract
DURING FISCAL YEAR 1977, THERE WERE 144,459 COMMITMENTS TO COUNTY AND CITY JAILS AND CITY JAIL FARMS. THIS REPRESENTED A 5.0 PERCENT INCREASE OVER 1976 COMMITMENTS. SIXTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE GROUP WERE WHITE, AND THIRTY-TWO PERCENT WERE NONWHITE. THE NUMBER OF MEN RECEIVED CONSTITUTED 91.3 PERCENT; WOMEN ACCOUNTED FOR 8.7 PERCENT, APPROXIMATELY THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR. COMMITMENT OF YOUTHS, (I.E., PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE), DECLINED 15.6 PERCENT FROM 1976 FOR A TOTAL OF 5,402 COMMITMENTS. ANALYSIS OF OFFENSES SHOWED THAT OFFENSES AGAINST DECENCY, PEACE AND GOOD ORDER WERE THE MOST FREQUENT AT 33.2 PERCENT; OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY WERE SECOND AT 19.5 PERCENT; ALMOST EQUALING PROPERTY OFFENSES WERE VIOLATIONS OF TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE LAWS AT 19.4 PERCENT. THE MOST COMMON OFFENSES WERE DRUNKENNESS AND DRUNK AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT WHICH REPRESENTED 25.4 PERCENT OF ALL COMMITMENTS. INCARCERATION FOR VIOLATION OF THE NARCOTIC LAWS ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY 4.5 PERCENT OF COMMITMENTS. MORE THAN HALF WERE CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANORS, A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR; PERSONS COMMITTED ON LOCAL ORDINANCES ACCOUNTED FOR 23.9 PERCENT, WHILE 22.5 PERCENT WERE CHARGED WITH FELONIES. VIRGINIA COUNTIES ACCOUNTED FOR 53.5 PERCENT OF COMMITMENTS AND CITIES FOR 46.5 PERCENT. STATISTICS, GRAPHS, AND APPENDIXES PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED). (LWM)