BJS FY24 Census of Jails, 2025 and 2026

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) seeks a data collection agent for administering the 2025 and 2026 annual Census of Jails (COJ) to approximately 2,900 jails. The COJ stands as BJS’s most comprehensive collection of jail administrative data, providing national and state-level statistics on various aspects of jail populations. From 1970 to 2024, BJS conducted the COJ every 5 to 6 years to gather information on jail populations and facility characteristics. Starting in 2025, BJS plans to conduct the COJ annually, generating county-level and state-level statistics on a yearly basis. This program furthers the Department of Justice’s mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights.