NCJ Number
238408
Journal
American Jails Dated: July/August 2011 Pages: 8-12
Date Published
2011
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This white paper from the American Institute of Architects presents information for policymakers, owners, operators, architects, and planners for use in designing sustainable buildings.
Abstract
The Committee of the Academy of Architecture for Justice of the American Institute of Architects developed this white paper as a tool for use by policymakers, owners, operators, architects, and planners for designing and building sustainable criminal justice buildings. The tools enable these groups to connect the designs of sustainable buildings to the principles of a sustainable community with the goal of encouraging social justice and economic development. Criminal justice buildings include courthouses, detention centers, and law enforcement facilities. Designing and developing these buildings according to the principles of sustainability will improve the communities they serve on three scales and in three areas: scale of community, scale of building, and scale of individual experience; and through citizens' interactions with law enforcement, the courts, and detention and corrections facilities. The paper discusses alternatives for reducing overcrowding in criminal justice facilities that include reducing admissions, providing alternatives to jail, better site selection for facilities, and reducing recidivism among offenders.