COLLOQUIUM ON CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES PLANNING - SUMMARY REPORT (FROM CA. DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS REPORT ON THE COLLOQUIUM ON CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES PLANNING, NOVEMBER 3-4, 1977, BY NORA HARLOW - SEE NCJ-46915)

• NCJ Number: 46916
• Author(s): N HARLOW; M R MONTILLA
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 60 pages
• Corporate Author: American Justice Institute; California State Dept of Corrections
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE PROCEEDINGS OF A COLLOQUIUM WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER A GROUP OF CONSULTANTS WITH PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN RELEVANT AREAS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE BASE FOR CALIFORNIA FACILITIES PLANNING.

Abstract

ALTHOUGH THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND LONG-RANGE SYSTEMS APPROACH TO PLANNING IS WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CONSTRAINTS TO SUCH PLANNING WITHIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS. THESE CONSTRAINTS INCLUDE SYSTEM FRAGMENTATION; COMPETITION AMONG SYSTEM COMPONENTS; PUBLIC PRESSURES FOR QUICK AND EASY SOLUTIONS; POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS; LACK OF STRONG LEADERSHIP, AN ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE CONDUCIVE TO PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, AND EXPLICIT AND RATIONAL GOALS; ADHERENCE TO FAMILIAR RELATIONSHIPS; AND THE SEPARATION OF PLANNING FROM POLICYMAKING. ESSENTIAL TO COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESSES ARE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING SITUATION, THE DEFINITION OF OBJECTIVES, THE IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS, THE ASSESSMENT OF ALTERNATIVES, THE SELECTION OF A PROPOSED COURSE OF ACTION AND PLAN, AND PROVISION FOR CONTINUOUS EVALUATION OF THE PLAN. AN ACCEPTED SYSTEMS PLANNING MODEL SHOULD DESCRIBE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND INCLUDE, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, DESCRIPTIONS OF INTERACTING JUSTICE AND NONJUSTICE SYSTEMS WHICH PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN GOAL ACHIEVEMENT. AN ASSESSMENT OF A NUMBER OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATION AND JUDICIAL DECISIONS ON THE SYSTEM'S NEEDS AND THE IMPACT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN NONSYSTEM AREAS MUST BE MADE. INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES IN CORRECTIONS APPEAR TO BE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF DETERRENCE/PUNISHMENT AND INCAPACITATION. HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO NECESSARY THAT RESTORATIVE, SELF-IMPROVEMENT, AND REHABILITATIVE OPPORTUNITIES BE BUILT INTO FACILITY DESIGN. ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES IN FACILITY DESIGN INCLUDE INCORPORATION OF FEATURES TO INSURE SAFE, HUMANE, CONSTITUTIONAL CUSTODY AND CARE WHICH IS ALSO COST-EFFECTIVE. PROBLEMS SUCH AS PRISON OVERCROWDING AND SYMPTOMS SUCH AS INMATE VIOLENCE MUST BE DEFINED AND TREATED IN THE FACILITY DESIGN. ANTICIPATING TRENDS AND CHANGE IN FACILITY PROBLEMS AND NEEDS IS NECESSARY. ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION WHICH WOULD RESOLVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS OR MEET NEEDS WERE IDENTIFIED. IN GENERAL, CONSULTANTS RECOMMENDED SMALL AND DECENTRALIZED CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IN URBAN OR NEAR-URBAN LOCATIONS. MAJOR DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED THAT THE FACILITY BE DESIGNED TO PERMIT FLEXIBILITY IN MEETING CHANGING NEEDS OR GOALS AND THAT SPACE AND DESIGN CRITERIA ADHERE TO WELL-ESTABLISHED ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS WHILE ALSO HAVING PROGRAMMATIC RELEVANCE. CONSTRUCTION COSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN $15,000 AND $85,000 PER INMATE. IN CONCLUSION, AN EFFECTIVE PLAN WILL INCORPORATE FLEXIBILITY AND WIDELY ACCEPTED STANDARDS FOR CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WILL REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE PLANNING MECHANISM, WILL INCORPORATE INPUT FROM PARTIES WITH VITAL INTERESTS IN CORRECTIONAL OPERATIONS, AND WILL INCORPORATE CONTINUOUS PROGRAM REEVALUATION AND MODIFICATION.