Overcrowding in local jails has emerged as an important social problem in recent years. Many have assumed that this problem has resulted from rising crime rates and general population growth, but recent research has called into question such claims. This study examines jail overcrowding in the county detention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The data show that the major causes of jail overcrowding include a rise in the arrest rate for certain crimes, such as driving under the influence, domestic violence, drugs and vagrancy, along with recent legislative changes, questionable police practices, and the punitive nature of some of Nevada's laws.
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