Providing the Help Needed to Activate Juvenile Facilities

• NCJ Number: 201523
• Journal: Corrections Today Volume: 65 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2003 Pages: 108-112
• Author(s): Dee Halley
• Date Published: July 2003
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses the challenges of juvenile facility planning and the transition process.

Abstract

Planning secure correctional facilities is a difficult and complex process. A critical part of the process is preparing for the activation of and transition to the new facility. It is critical that practitioners are involved in the early decisionmaking process to help ensure they are well advised and able to implement workable practices. The statement of need is referred to as a functional or pre-architectural program. Without the input of practitioners, it is unlikely that architects will design a facility to meet the operational, legal, emotional, medical, educational, service, and program needs of juvenile offenders. The Planning of New Institutions for Juvenile Facilities (Juvenile PONI) program helps juvenile justice officials understand the facility development process. A companion program, the Juvenile Transition and Activation Planning (J-TAP) program, is designed to help practitioners understand the elements and issues involved in the transition, and provide a process for organizing the work. Once the planning and early design work are complete, the practitioners’ role becomes one of contract management and monitoring while the decisions are shaped into final contract documents and the building is constructed. Activating the new facility can be as complex as its design and construction. Staffing is a significant transition element that must be considered. The staffing plan is developed in conjunction with the master facility schedule, which also must be reviewed, approved, and distributed. Once the staffing plan and master facility schedule are finalized, individual staff and detailed activity schedules need to be developed. The functional program lays the groundwork for the development of the facility’s policies and procedures manual. Because of the level of funding required, the number of stakeholders involved, and the permanency of the facility, careful planning and design are crucial to meeting the needs of the community and the confined population.