New Construction Methods for Correctional Facilities

• NCJ Number: 100121
• Author(s): C B Dewitt
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 8 pages
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

After reviewing the problems of prison and jail overcrowding as well as the high cost of prison construction, this bulletin presents case studies of cost-effective prison construction and describes the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) technical assistance services for prison construction.

Abstract

NIJ's technical assistance resources include the publication of bulletins with case studies of cost-effective prison construction; the provision of a directory containing facts on methods used in building, remodeling, and expanding correctional facilities; and the establishment of a Construction Information Exchange. These NIJ efforts complement the corrections construction initiatives of the National Institute of Corrections which focus on planning, design, and construction. Virginia, California, and Florida have agreed to assist NIJ in its technical assistance efforts by being research subjects for innovative corrections construction projects. These States have had promising results in speeding up construction and reducing costs through the use of such methods as modular units, 'fast-track' construction, and phased design. Tables and graphs portray the problem of prison overcrowding. 19 notes.