NCJ Number
59163
Date Published
1975
Length
25 pages
Annotation
BASIC PHYSICAL STANDARDS THAT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO ASSURE A HUMANE ENVIRONMENT IN ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN GEORGIA AND TO DEFINE INMATE ASSIGNMENT CAPACITIES FOR THESE INSTITUTIONS ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PHYSICAL STANDARDS FOR CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS SHOULD DEFINE CRITERIA FOR THE LOCATION SIZE AND INMATE HOUSING IN INSTITUTIONS. STANDARDS FOR INMATE HOUSING SHOULD DEFINE MINIMUM FACILITY SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND, WITH PROPER ENFORCEMENT, CONSTITUTE A WAY OF PREVENTING INMATE OVERCROWDING. GEORGIA'S DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS/OFFENDER REHABILITATION HAS ESTABLISHED STANDARDS FOR NEW FACILITY CONSTRUCTION AND STANDARDS FOR THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF EXISTING FACILITIES. THE STANDARDS ARE DEFICIENT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THERE IS NO METHOD OF ENFORCEMENT. CRITERIA FOR FACILITIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR YET TO BE CONSTRUCTED INCLUDE A CLEARLY-DEFINED MISSION, FLEXIBILITY, LOCATION, CAPACITY, AND RESIDENT HOUSING. INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY IS VIEWED AS A STARTING POINT IN NORMALIZING THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT EXISTING FACILITIES BE RENOVATED, THAT NEW ADULT CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES BE ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARDS, THAT THESE FACILITIES BE LOCATED ON A REGIONAL BASIS, AND THAT ENFORCEABLE STANDARDS BE ESTABLISHED TO DEFINE INMATE ASSIGNMENT CAPACITIES FOR ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE DEFINITION FOR STANDARD CAPACITY IF ONE INMATE PER ROOM OR CELL OR, FOR DORMITORY SPACE, A MINIMUM OF 56 SQUARE FEET NET LIVING AREA PER INMATE. THE DEFINITION FOR EMERGENCY CAPACITY IS ONE INMATE PER ROOM OR CELL OR, FOR DORMITORY SPACE, A MINIMUM OF 40 SQUARE FEET NET LIVING AREA PER INMATE. A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS DESCRIBED. THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF OVERCROWDING IS EXAMINED, AND DATA ON THE NUMBER OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND THE INMATE POPULATION IN GEORGIA ARE PROVIDED. FOOTNOTES AND STATISTICAL TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)