ABSTRACT
Policies and practices, such as deinstitutionalization, the “war on drugs,” and broken windows policing have contributed to skyrocketing U.S. jail populations over the past several decades. Despite efforts to reduce mass incarceration, there are still over 10 million annual jail bookings in the United States. Most bookings represent a person's lone contact with the criminal legal system, but people with frequent jail contact can constitute up to half of a jail's annual census. People with frequent jail contact have been a focus of practitioners, but relatively little is known about this population in the research literature. Studies that do exist generally suggest that people of color are overrepresented in this population and that this group experiences high rates of homelessness and behavioral health needs. This chapter describes the characteristics and needs of people with frequent jail contact, highlights factors that contribute to increased jail contact, and describes existing interventions aimed at reducing jail contact. The chapter concludes with suggestions for research and practice settings to clarify the needs experienced by people with frequent jail contact and develop strategies to end their system involvement.
