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Abstract: 

Objective jail classification (OJC) of offenders has assumed a critical role in jails during the past two decades, and OJC procedures are used to guide both line staff and policy level staff in crucial programming, case management, and offender processing decisions (Austin, 1998; Brennan, 1987; Wells & Brennan, 1992). Many of the most fundamental correctional policy goals of jails are linked to classification—including fairness and equity; consistency, reliability, and legal defensibility of decisions; access to appropriate treatment; least restrictive custody; safety of inmates and staff; public safety; and orderliness. Moreover, because classification underlies virtually all treatment and offender management decisions in a jail, it has been described as one of the most critical tools for jail managers and as the “nerve center” of the jail.

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Affiliations:  1: University of Colorado, Northpointe Institute.