NCJ Number
151565
Date Published
1993
Length
59 pages
Annotation
This booklet contains a series of articles designed to provide basic information on the principles of podular, direct supervision jails, and to relate the experience local jails have had with the design.
Abstract
The first article describes the direct supervision style, a combination of management and operational philosophy, design features and staff training. In direct supervision jails, officers are in constant and direct contact with inmates; as a result they can recognize and respond to trouble before it escalates into violence. Direct supervision is based on several basic management principles: effective control and supervision, competent staff, safety of staff and inmates, manageable and cost-effective operations, effective communication, classification and orientation, and justice and fairness. The second article is the resolution of the American Correctional Association in which that organization voiced its opposition to the philosophy of inmate management that relies on staff isolation and remote surveillance for the direct supervision of inmates. Subsequent articles contained here present research findings and conclusions from a comparison of direct and indirect supervision facilities. The podular or direct supervision architectural management design was found to provide a safe correctional environment compatible with current knowledge of human behavior and with national correctional standards. 3 appendixes