SOME ESSENTIALS OF FACILITY PLANNING (FROM CA. DEPT. OF CORR. - REP. ON COLLQ. ON CORR. FACILITIES PLANNING, NOVEMBER 1977, BY NORA HARLOW - SEE NCJ-46915)

• NCJ Number: 46920
• Author(s): F D MOYER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 9 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

FOLLOWING A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE ADVANTAGES OF A TOTAL SYSTEMS PLANNING APPROACH, A NUMBER OF ESSENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY DESIGN PLANNING ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

IN GENERAL, COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE THOUGHT TO BE MORE ADVANTAGEOUS IN TERMS OF RESOURCE AVAILABILITY, PROXIMITY TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SYSTEMS, AND PRISON PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES. HOWEVER, ACCESSIBILITY NEED NOT BE CONSIDERED SOLELY IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL DISTANCE FROM RESOURCES IF MASS TRANSPORTATION IS AVAILABLE. TRANSITIONAL TYPES OF FACILITIES CAN BE LOCATED IN OR NEAR URBAN AREAS, AND OLDER FACILITIES (OR THEIR SITES) CAN BE ADAPTED TO NEEDS. DESPITE THE APPARENT ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE INSTITUTION SIZE, INSTITUTIONS FOR 400 OR FEWER INMATES MAY BE PREFERABLE WHEN THE COST AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCREASED TENSION, HOSTILITY, AND LIKELIHOOD OF VIOLENCE ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE SIZE ARE ASSESSED. WHILE SPECIFIC DESIGN FEATURES SHOULD CONFORM TO INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES AND PROGRAMS, SOME GENERAL DESIGN FEATURES DESERVE CONSIDERATION. FACILITIES SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY IN ADAPTING TO CHANGING NEEDS OR POPULATIONS. LIVING AREAS CAN BE DESIGNED WHICH ARE MORE SECURE AND HUMANE BY UTILIZING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGIES NOW AVAILABLE, COUPLED WITH DESIGN FEATURES WHICH PERMIT PRISON PERSONNEL TO BETTER MONITOR INMATE ACTIVITIES. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, UTILIZATION OF RELOCATABLE BUILDING MATERIALS MAY BE DESIRABLE TO MEET SHORT-RANGE NEEDS. TRENDS IN JUDICIAL DECISIONS SUGGEST THAT FACILITIES WILL BE EXPECTED INCREASINGLY TO CONFORM WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO OTHER TYPES OF HUMAN HABITATION. INPUT FROM RESPONSIBLE FACILITY ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN DESIGN PLANNING TO INSURE EFFICIENT AND FUNCTIONAL DESIGN. FACILITY DESIGN BASED ON IDENTIFIED CURRENT NEEDS AND PROJECTED FUTURE OPTIONS PERMITS THE ENVIRONMENT TO ADAPT TO THE NEEDS OF ITS HUMAN PARTICIPANTS. (JAP)