NCJ Number
166563
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 22 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1997) Pages: 12-22
Date Published
1997
Length
11 pages
Annotation
As Texas and California completed major prison construction projects in 1995, prison construction activity surged in eastern States, most notably in Florida and Virginia.
Abstract
Texas accounted for nearly 25 percent of all prison construction projects in 1994-1995 and for more than half of all new correctional facilities completed and one-third of all reported prison construction spending. California spent nearly $400 million during the same period and added more than 7,500 new beds to its prison system. Yet, newly reported 1995-1996 construction data for these States showed a marked slowdown in activity, with eastern States dominating both spending and bed addition categories. Overall, for States providing data on prison construction for 1995-1996, 13 reported no significant prison construction activity. The remaining 34 jurisdictions reported a total of 195 projects, compared to 197 for the previous year. Most new correctional facilities were residential in nature. Aside from new facilities, States reported 79 significant additions or renovations at existing facilities. New prison construction completed in 1995-1996 resulted in 63,156 new beds, compared to more than 137,000 for the previous year. Costs of 136 prison construction projects totaled approximately $2.3 billion. Private prison beds continued to increase during 1995-1996. Among eight Canadian respondents, only Quebec and the Federal Correctional Service of Canada reported prison construction activity during the year. 6 notes and 1 table