Building on Experience - A Case Study of Advanced Construction and Financing Methods for Corrections

The Ross Correctional Institution, located near Chillicothe, Ohio, is a campus-style facility for 1,051 inmates that is being built with a system of plant-produced precast concrete components and panels. The new design saved $13 million in construction costs when compared with a previous, traditional design. Moreover, the building frame and shell for eight inmate housing units were completed in only 4 months. Towers were eliminated in favor of a security perimeter with electronic detection and perimeter patrol vehicles. A direct supervision management approach will save 21 percent in manpower, $100 million savings over 30 years. Each housing unit functions as an independent unit with a manager and support staff. Ohio's financing plan includes variable rate demand securities, backed by lease-purchase agreements for new prisons. These methods saved Ohio more than $3 million during the first year alone. Photographs, diagrams, and tables accompany the case study. Various types of inmate management designs and examples of systems construction in jails are appended.