Some jails in New York State have more people locked up than others. Of course, nobody wants to go to jail, but sometimes things happen. New York collects data on how many people are in the various jails across the state.

New York City jail population figures have been reported to the state since 2016, while data for the Non-New York City region and each county outside of the five boroughs are shown annually from 1997 onward.

The total population for all NYC Facilities in 2023 was 5,998 and all non-NYC facilities had a population of 10,183.

Many jails in New York are rife with overcrowding, dilapidated facilities, understaffing, and even high suicide rates. The Erie County Holding Center has a horrible reputation for inmates dying while in custody. According to the Investigative Post,

"Since 2005, 38 county inmates have died, including six since [Sheriff John] Garcia took office in 2022. Between April 2021 and the end of last year, Erie County jails, with seven deaths, have been deadlier than any other county lockups of similar size in New York state, according to statistics kept by the state attorney general."

The population figures are based on the average daily census figures submitted by each jail to the State Commission of Correction. The "census" number is,

"The average daily number of individuals for which the facility is responsible, whether they are housed at the jail (In House) or another facility (Boarded Out)."