NCJ Number
210670
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 67 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2005 Pages: 82-84
Date Published
July 2005
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the various technologies and technological improvements that can be incorporated in the design and building of correctional facilities to promote safety and efficiency.
Abstract
As new and emerging technologies demonstrate increasing potential to impact the way correctional facilities evolve, architects and engineers must identify and evaluate the effects those technologies will have on traditional concepts of correctional design at various levels. The design team must provide the proper solutions during the design process to effectively integrate the new technologies into the overall operational plan and physical plant. If handled properly, integrating new technologies into the design of a correctional facility can promote less traditional objectives and applications. This article examines several areas of technology in which integration should be considered on different levels of design. They include: man-down technology, computing systems, inmate tracking systems, and materials and equipment. The article also addresses implementation considerations in incorporating these new and emerging technologies. The benefit of any new technology introduced to mitigate the negative aspects traditional objectives bring to correctional design may not seem as tangible as those on the surface, but could prove to be more valuable when the cost of incarceration is fully weighed.