NCJ Number
62608
Date Published
1979
Length
73 pages
Annotation
WITH THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR JUVENILES, THE PHYSICAL DESIGN OF FACILITIES IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN VIEW OF THE NEED FOR HUMANE AND COST-EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTS.
Abstract
THE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF A BUILDING (I.E., THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF SPACES AND ELEMENTS, THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF SPACES) NOT ONLY DETERMINE HOW IT WILL FUNCTION BUT ALSO HOW LIVES WILL BE SHAPED. BECAUSE MOST JUVENILE RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, CHANGE MUST BE EFFECTED FROM THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION STAGES ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISHING TOUCHES. A COMPARISON OF RESEARCH AND STANDARDS IN SUCH AREAS AS POPULATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS, SECURITY) SPATIAL UTILITY AND PERCEPTION, AND SIZE AND LOCATION POINTS THE WAY FOR SUCH CHANGES TO BE MADE. IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1974 JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT PROMOTING THE DIVERSION OF CHILDREN TO JUVENILE RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, ANALYSIS ALSO POINTS OUT THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF MANIPULATING HEAT, COLOR, LIGHT, SOUND, SURFACE, AND SPACE. INDIVIDUAL BEDROOMS, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, VARIED FURNITURE TYPES AND COLORS, BRIGHT WALL COLORS, AND NATURAL LIGHTING ARE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS MENTIONED THAT ARE COST EFFECTIVE AND STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE FUNCTION OF THE BODY AND THE FUNCTION OF THE MIND. DESIGNERS SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER SPACES ENCOURAGE NONABERRANT BEHAVIOR; OFFER STIMULATING VARIATIONS IN COLOR AND TEXTURE; PROVIDE FOR SOCIAL, WORK, AND RECREATIONAL NEEDS; SUSTAIN AN UNFORCED AND UNHINDERED ATMOSPHERE OF LEARNING; AND PROVIDE FOR OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF HUMAN NEED. NOTES ARE INCLUDED.