ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the differences between jails and other types of detention facilities and explains the challenges of incarcerating female inmates in jails. It discusses the characteristics of special needs jail populations. The chapter also explains how the new-generation jail concepts differ from traditional designs and operations. It further describes some of the key challenges confronting jails in the twenty-first century. Many of the challenges related to jail operations are due to under-funding, overcrowding, and having to accommodate a diverse range of people who are admitted to jails with a host of unmet needs. Jails are so interesting to study because they defy an easy description, but they do share some common features. Several options other than county or regional jails are available to local, state, and federal authorities for short-term incarceration. Alaska has a somewhat distinctive approach as that state has an integrated jail-prison system and they also have 15 small locally operated jails.
