NCJ Number
62421
Date Published
Unknown
Length
4 pages
Annotation
ACOUSTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CORRECTIONAL FACITLITIES AND THE ADAPTATION OF EXISTING ONES.
Abstract
EXCESSIVE NOISINESS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES HAS BEEN LARGELY OVERLOOKED AS A CONTRIBUTORY FACT TO INMATE AND STAFF DISCOMFORT IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. AFTER DEFINING NOISE AND DESCRIBING ITS ILL EFFECTS (SLEEP INTERFERENCE, SPEECH INTERFERENCE, AND HEARING LOSS) THE PAPER CITES A CASE EXAMPLE OF JAIL NOISE. NOISE MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AT THE MANHATTAN HOUSE OF DETENTION (THE TOMBS) IN NEW YORK CITY, A TYPICAL MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISON CONSISTING OF ACOUSTICALLY HARD, NONABSORBENT MATERIALS. THE MEASURED SOUND LEVELS IN THE TOMBS VALIDATED THE PREVALENT FEELINGS OF DISRUPTIVE NOISINESS. MOREOVER, A FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE FOUND THE LEVELS TO BE A GROSS TAX ON INMATES' MENTAL HEALTH AND ORDERED THE CITY OF NEW YORK TO CLOSE THE PRISON UNTIL REMEDIAL PROVISIONS WERE TAKEN. TO MAKE THE TOMBS MORE HABITABLE, NOISE PROBLEMS OF AUDIO SYSTEMS (TELEVISIONS AND RADIOS COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER FROM SINGLE SOURCE SPEAKERS); AND JAIL CONSTRUCTION (ACOUSTICALLY HARD SURFACES AND NOISY CELL DOOR MECHANISMS); AND MEAL SERVICE EQUIPMENT (ALL METALLIC) WERE CONSIDERED. SOLUTIONS INCLUDE ACOUSTIC TILE ON CEILINGS AND WALL SURFACES, REPLACEMENT OF METAL TABLES WITH WOOD, CARPETING FLOORS, WOODEN OR TREATED METAL TABLES, AND MODIFICATIONS OF THE AUDIO SYSTEM.