The New York City Jail Population Tracker

In November 2024, the Data Collaborative for Justice (DCJ) launched the New York City Jail Population Tracker, a real-time dashboard tracking New York City’s progress toward closing Rikers Island by 2027. Updated daily, the dashboard provides data from 2016 to the present on key metrics such as the total jail population, women’s population, racial disparities, mental health status, and reason for incarceration (pretrial detention, jail sentence, parole violation, awaiting state prison transfer, or other reason).

A unique projection model forecasts population trends one year into the future, offering actionable insights to policymakers, advocates, and the public. Interactive features include a timeline of Rikers closure milestones, detailed methodology, and strategies for reducing jail populations. This tool equips stakeholders with the knowledge to drive data-informed reforms and ensure the City meets its goals.

Explore the dashboard to understand NYC’s jail population and strategies for change.