The Commonwealth of Virginia supports 57 local and regional jails and jail farms. Of this number, there are 24 county jails, 11 city jails, 21 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, 2024 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 50 out of 57 local and regional jails. Three jails did not respond to the survey, two jails indicated they had no mentally ill inmates during the survey period, and two jails indicated they do not hold mentally ill inmates. The data in this report is as provided to the Compensation Board by local and regional jails in their 2024 mental health surveys, submitted as of August 16, 2024.

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 2024, with the exception of treatment expenditures, which were reported for the entire fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024). 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.

There were no new questions in the survey this year.