Answer to Question 1
Despite bail reform efforts, the poor are still the group least likely to make bail and the ones most likely to commit petty offenses, to have mental health issues, to be considered flight risks, and to be unable to afford restitution. It is not surprising, then, that they remain overrepresented in jail populations. Criminologist John Irwin contends that, more than anything else, jails are dumping grounds for the poor and catch-alls for uneducated, unemployed, homeless, and impoverished offenders. He refers to these disorderly and disorganized persons as rabble and contends that the jail was invented and continues to be operated in order to manage society's rabble. One study found that Irwin's rabble theory may be overstated, but the fact still remains that the jail is a social institution in which the poor are overrepresented.
Answer to Question 2
Booking is the process of admitting an arrestee or sentenced misdemeanant to jail. Those who are not released on bond or ROR are placed in a secure housing unit until they can be interviewed and some preliminary information is collected regarding their crime and past criminal history. This is called classification, which serves the purpose of identifying whether the inmate should be separated from other offenders. Additionally, it is determined if there is a need for detoxification or suicide prevention. Once the inmate is classified, he or she is moved to a more suitable housing area.