NCJ Number
127327
Journal
American Jails Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (July/August 1990) Pages: 12-20
Date Published
1990
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the findings of a survey of the heads of all 50 State departments of corrections and youth services and to a representative sample of jails built in recent years and asks whether any serious architectural or other "blunders" or cluster of errors had caused serious operational or life-safety problems in their facilities.
Abstract
The questionnaire survey was supplemented by on-site surveys of more than 175 jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities conducted or directed by the author over the past 8 years. The survey indicates that some correctional facilities have been plagued by costly errors in design, equipment, and construction. This article lists reported errors in the areas of planning and design, construction and equipment, fire safety, and suicide prevention. The correctional administrators surveyed blamed architects and other design professionals, correctional and detention administrators, legislative bodies, and governmental support agencies. The article recommends how these professionals, legislative bodies, and government agencies as well as vendors can reduce the risk of costly errors in design, construction, and equipment.