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Facility Design and Operation

The Facility Design and Operation topic offers news and expert columns on the construction and management of prisons — from how architectural choices can affect inmate behavior to upgrades and closures.

“Lieutenants have gone through jailer school, all jail protocols have been reinforced, reemphasizing training in policy and inmate movement,” Bibb County Sheriff David Davis said
The looming deadline comes after Los Padrinos and the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility failed key inspections in January
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department is barred from holding a person in the jail system’s inmate reception center for more than 24 hours
The revised total is significantly steeper than the county’s previous estimate of $550 million
California Correctional Center in Susanville has remained open because the town sued, saying they face economic devastation if they lose more than 1,000 prison jobs
The prison population is at a more than 30-year low at about 32,000 inmates, according to the department
Costing about $150 million, the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women will meet the unique needs of female inmates
The first step for prison officials is to have a clear view of the mail security vulnerabilities in their particular facility
Tracking supplies given can save lives, no matter the size of the object
Supervisors complained about the current design for the jail, which they say do not offer enough space for mental healthcare and re-entry services
The California Correctional Center in Susanville was supposed to be shut down in June, but has remained open as state studies impact on surrounding town
Alabama is building two “supersize” prisons using $400 million from the American Rescue Plan - 20% of what it was given by the federal government
Warden Jim Farris maintains bringing the rodeo back will benefit the city and state, as well as improve morale for corrections workers and the inmates
The city-parish will use $2 million to install as many as 50 metal security doors throughout the facility, as well as upgrade the security camera system
The report highlights two recent jails deaths as evidence that the sheriff’s office has struggled to improve jail conditions despite years of federal oversight
The Caucus wants to send jail inmates with severe medical needs to local hospitals, build a smaller jail with fewer beds and call for other reforms to address the jail’s extreme racial disparities
Temps in at least one unit have topped 149 degrees, reflecting conditions incarcerated people call a “living hell,” according to the study
After touring newly built jails, Cuyahoga County Jail Administrator Ronda Gibson has design ideas to improve inmate processing, housing and CO training areas
117 inmates were evacuated from the Letcher County Jail after flooding cut off access to running water
When the heat picks up in Florida, advocates and family members say temperatures can exceed 100°F inside, putting prisoners with medical issues like asthma at risk
Prison reform advocate disguised himself as a construction worker to hide guns, handcuff keys and hacksaw blades inside the walls of a Nashville jail under construction
Problems flagged repeatedly by inspectors were related to the jail being too small, too dark and understaffed
The city must build a $60 million expansion for inmates with mental and medical health problems
The bond issue is a key funding piece for the $1.2 billion construction price tag
The 4,000-bed prisons will be much larger than any of the state’s 13 current prisons for men
Critics of the construction plan argue the state is ignoring the bigger issues — prison staffing levels and leadership — to focus on buildings
Installation of electric vehicle charging stations has begun at select facilities to accommodate electric-powered fleet vehicles
Indirect supervision is not safer than direct supervision for officers. However, direct supervision is most certainly safer for inmates
Sheriff Alex Villanueva has criticized the plan to close the jail without a replacement
A recent attack on a North Carolina detention officer highlights the dangers associated with direct supervision housing
They’re the latest problems to come up at the Bangor facility that’s more than 160 years old
Among the facility’s upgrades is the ability to electronically track inmates via wristbands