Charleston County Jail Population, Charge and Bond Trends Unveiled in New Report
Yesterday, a detailed annual report disclosed by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) showcased invaluable insights about Charleston County’s jail bookings, charges and bonds in the year 2023. Over 8,500 individuals were booked, leading to more than 10,000 bookings with the most frequent charge being the unlawful carrying of a firearm.
The Story behind the Numbers
Although statistics play a significant role in data-based decision making, there is a compelling human narrative intertwined with these numbers. Each digit stands for an individual, a victim, a family member, demonstrating the broad-reaching impact of the justice system.
Demographics of the Jail Population
In 2023, the jail population averaged approximately 973 inmates daily. Primarily, men between 25 to 34 years were incarcerated, with 55% being black and 41% white. This racial representation contrasts with the Charleston County’s population, which is 71% white and 24% black.
Trends over Time: Bookings and Population
Bookings in Charleston County’s jail escalated by 20% from 2022 to 2023, despite an aggregate downfall of 60.5% since 2014. The trend was greatly affected due to the pandemic, leading to a significant decrease in 2020 and gradual rise to pre-pandemic levels since then.
Bond and Re-entry: Risk Levels
Insights from the report also delved into the variance in bonds, bond violations, and re-entry, based on the four identified offender risk levels. Disturbingly, majority of bond failures that disrupted the integrity of the judicial system occurred within the first six months of release.
Disposition of Cases and Impact of COVID
During 2023, around 7,985 cases were filed and 8,946 were concluded. While this data does not confirm that all the cases filed in 2023 have been put to rest, it does suggest an overwork rate of 106% by the solicitor’s office in concluding cases. The total cases concluded experienced a 20% surge between 2022 and 2023. This active litigation is most likely due to the pile-up of cases during COVID, coupled with the efforts of the judicial system to mitigate the backlog.
Time Efficiency and Diversion Programs
Both the time for case assignment to a solicitor and the time to discovery for cases have dwindled since 2018, when CJCC began tracking the trends. Diversions to mental health and medical programs have also been reported instrumental in expediting cases in the appropriate direction.
Report: A Tool for Effective Decision Making
The annual report by CJCC, now made more digestible for average readers, transforms into a powerful tool for leaders and officials motivating evidence-based decision-making. It fortifies procedural justice by promoting transparency and accountability.
