Understanding the 2024 Misdemeanor Holding Trend

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) reported that the number of people held in local jails for a misdemeanor fell 37% from midyear 2015 to midyear 2024, while felony holds remained stable. The figures describe the composition of custody, not a complete account of criminal case outcomes.

According to BJS's Jail Inmates in 2024 statistical tables, jails held 192,900 people for misdemeanors at midyear 2015 and 121,900 at midyear 2024. At midyear 2024, misdemeanor holds made up 19% of the jail population.

Felony and misdemeanor, in plain terms

Criminal offenses are generally sorted by seriousness. A felony is the more serious category and can carry a longer possible sentence, often served in a state prison. A misdemeanor is a less serious category, usually punishable by a shorter jail sentence, a fine, probation or another penalty. Exact definitions and penalties vary by state, and the BJS report does not define the categories itself.

Jails hold people in both categories, whether they are awaiting court action or serving a sentence. The BJS figures sort the jail population by the level of the offense for which people are held.

Reading the trend carefully

The BJS highlight says felony holds "remained stable." Elsewhere in the same report, the share of the jail population held for felony offenses is listed as 76% at midyear 2024, up from 68% at midyear 2015. Both can be true at once: if the number of felony holds stayed roughly level while misdemeanor holds dropped, felonies would make up a larger share of a smaller total. The report gives felony shares rather than felony head counts, so it is worth noticing whether a statement refers to a number or a percentage.

The figures also come with clear limits:

• ✱A snapshot, not a case history. These are counts of people in custody at midyear, not counts of arrests, charges filed, convictions or sentences.
• ✱No causes. The data do not explain why misdemeanor holds declined, and the statistical tables do not attribute the change to any law, policy or practice.
• ✱National totals. Local trends may run in a different direction.

Exploring court and jail datasets before localizing

If you want to understand what is happening in your own community, national figures are a starting point, not an answer. Local sources can fill in the picture:

• ✱Court records. Many state court systems publish online case search tools and caseload reports that separate felony and misdemeanor filings. The clerk of court can explain what is public and how to request records.
• ✱Jail rosters and reports. Many sheriff's offices and jail agencies post population counts or rosters, sometimes listing charges and charge levels. Check the agency's official website or inmate locator.
• ✱State agencies. Some states publish jail population reports through a corrections department, jail oversight body or statistical analysis center.
• ✱Federal data. BJS publishes national jail tables, and its Census of Jails is the agency's primary data collection on local jails.

When comparing sources, confirm that both use the same date, the same definitions and the same unit, whether people, cases or charges. A court's count of misdemeanor cases filed is not the same as a jail's count of people held for misdemeanors on a single day.

What this means for families

If a loved one is held on a misdemeanor or felony charge, the national trend will not tell you what happens next in their case. The charge level can affect release decisions, possible penalties and which court hears the case, so ask a licensed attorney or the local public defender's office to explain the specific charges. The court clerk can confirm hearing dates.

Our find a facility directory can help you locate a jail's contact information, and local help lists attorneys and other services in your area.