In the month of June, 2019 the Commonwealth of Virginia supported 59 local and regional jails and jail farms. Of this number, there are 24 county jails, 12 city jails, 22 regional jails and 1 jail farm. City and county jails are operated under the authority of the sheriff in that locality. An appointed superintendent operates the jail farm under the authority of the locality it serves. Regional jails are operated under the authority of a regional jail board or authority consisting of at least the sheriff and one other representative from each participating jurisdiction.

A survey to identify mental illness in Virginia jails was initially developed by staff of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), staff of the Senate Finance Committee, and staff of the Compensation Board. The Compensation Board distributed a mental health survey in June 2019 for completion by local and regional jails. With the support of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association and the Virginia Association of Regional Jails, the Compensation Board received surveys from 57 out of 59 local and regional jails, excluding Charlotte County Jail and Sussex County Jail. The data in this report is as provided to the Compensation Board by local and regional jails in their 2019 mental health surveys, submitted as of August 5, 2019.

The goal of the survey is to provide information regarding the incidence of mental illness among individuals incarcerated in Virginia jails, characteristics of this population and methods by which jails seek to manage mental illness within their facility. Survey questions directed jail personnel to report data for the month of June 2019, with the exception of treatment expenditures which were reported for the entire fiscal year (July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019).

There were no significant changes to the survey instrument this year. Although the report includes statistics on the average daily population of federal and out of state inmates housed in jail this year, the data regarding inmates with mental illness is reflective only of local and state responsible inmates housed in local and regional jails.