By C1 Staff
As American wheedles down the number of inmates behind bars, there’s discussion on what to do with former facilities left standing empty.
One possible solution is to convert them into hotels, such as how the Liberty Hotel in Boston was the Charles Street Jail up until 1990, according to MTV.
“Prison repurposing comes in when you propose that the closer of the prison creates the responsibility to plan for those unmet needs of the community where it is,” said architect Raphael Sperry in an interview with Yes in My Backyard.
“And we listened to community members talk about their visions for their towns,” he said. “What I heard is that, like urban communities with many people in prison, rural areas are in need of better education and recreation opportunities for their youth, more employment to support families, and a revival of community life.”
Other creative ideas for repurposing prisons include homeless shelters, re-entry centers, and transitional work facilities. Thoughts being mulled over for the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility in New York include a veterans’ cemetery, a Native American cultural center, or a summer camp.
What do you think should be done with former correctional facilities?