Measure description
This measure tracks the average daily population (ADP) of individuals in custody in San Francisco County jails each month.
Why these measures are important
These measures provide the public, elected officials, and city staff with indicators of the Sheriff’s Department’s ability to intake, and hold in custody in livable conditions, individuals who have been arrested on suspicion of committing a crime in SF County. If the daily and average daily populations in custody are increasing, the Sheriff’s Department must consider how its rated SF County jail capacity will meet the demand for occupancy. The San Francisco Police Department will make arrests when a suspect is apprehended, so this measure is important to communicate how full the SF County jails are.
The interactive chart below presents the monthly average of daily jail capacity.
The chart’s legend is below:
- Y-axis: Average Daily Jail Population
- X-Axis: Months within the calendar year
Average Daily Jail Population
Average Daily Population dipped at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Between April 2020 and August 2023, it remained under 1,000. Since then, the count has steadily gone up. Return to normal trends in crime, arrests by the SFPD, and courtroom outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system contribute to the increase.
How performance is measured
Average daily population is compiled by Sheriff's staff from daily reports issued by each jail. The Average Daily Population is calculated after each month by adding up each day’s total population, then dividing by the number of days in the month. Records are located in City Hall, Room 456. As of July 2024, County Jail #2 at 425 7th Street, San Francisco, housing all genders, has a rated capacity of 392 beds. County Jail #3 in San Bruno, housing incarcerated males, has a rated capacity of 768 beds. Intake and Release Center, 425 - 7th Street, San Francisco has a rated capacity of 124 beds. Twice a year, the Sheriff’s Department submits rated SF County jail capacity numbers to the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Approximately 75% of those jailed are pre-trial felony prisoners, who either cannot be released or cannot make bail. As such, population figures are produced daily to reflect trial activity and to identify trends in custody. The rated capacity of SF County jails is assessed by the Bureau of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) who evaluates SF County jails approximately twice a year for livability and custody conditions.
Additional Information
- Learn more about the Sheriff’s current jail data and trends.
- Read about Title 15 and Title 24 for local detention facility standards.
Data notes and source
- Primary monthly data source: Scorecards Dataset on DataSF.
- Daily data is available on the Sheriff’s Department website and updated at 5:00 AM each day: Current jail data and trends
City Performance Scorecards
This page is part of the City Performance Scorecards.
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