Reevaluation Challenges
Planning is Paramount
Jeff Goodale, AIA, ACA
The current state of detention centers across the country is reaching a critical juncture, driven by maintenance issues, staffing shortages, and the growing consolidation of incarcerated individuals into outdated facilities. These challenges have intensified the need for more extensive, more modern facilities capable of meeting the demands of today’s correctional landscape.
With corrections departments often at the mercy of legislative priorities and budget constraints, it has become increasingly important to implement comprehensive assessments, accurate planning, and resilient, forward-thinking solutions. Addressing these issues requires a deep understanding of existing systems, effective data collection, and a focus on resiliency in the face of future disruptions.
Inadequate infrastructure not only impacts the safety and well-being of staff and incarcerated individuals but also places an enormous burden on local economies, exacerbating operational inefficiencies and straining already limited resources. As the population within detention centers continues to grow, many facilities struggle to maintain compliance with evolving health and safety regulations. Furthermore, community resistance to new detention facilities often leads to delays and cost overruns, complicating long-term planning efforts. A holistic approach to correctional design and management—one that considers environmental sustainability, technological advancements, and human-centered policies—is essential to creating systems that can endure and evolve in response to societal and legal shifts.
Urgency
There is a crisis in detention centers overrun with maintenance issues that, in some cases, present potential safety concerns to inhabitants. Staffing shortages are driving more and more consolidation of incarcerated individuals into the same facilities and the need for bigger, more modern facilities is greater than ever. Unfortunately, corrections departments are at the mercy of their legislatures, and tax revenue and correctional reform are among competing priorities on the legislative agenda, especially in rapidly growing states. All these challenges are intersecting to make comprehensive assessments, accurate planning, resiliency, and creative thinking more important than ever.
Fully Understand Existing Systems
At the start of the project, it is essential to fully understand the existing facilities and conditions, especially for larger systems. Getting a realistic assessment of the current state is a crucial first step. Once established, it is important to conduct periodic evaluations to address understandable discrepancies between what is happening in the facilities and what is being reported and tracked in the central office. There is no one-size-fits-all method for such evaluations because every state is different and some have truly unique circumstances, such as California where every warden is an independent operator.
Use Common Metrics
There are, however, some common metrics that can be used to collect relevant data for a comprehensive analysis. For example, recording what percentage of incarcerated individuals get to trial on time helps track efficiency, and quantifying the average duration of occupancy helps make predictions about future needs. With 50 DOC systems across the country, there is a lot of variation in what data is available and how much from one system to the next. Some states/counties have this information immediately available, and some don’t have it at all. If this data isn’t immediately available, there are some strategies for collecting it.
Experienced project teams can offer an advisory role for their expertise in asking the right questions and generating data from the information gathered. For smaller systems, this can be relatively simple, but a larger system has a “big picture” master plan that takes precedence over data points from individual facilities. An example project in Indianapolis was executed in several phases and the team had access to expenditures of the sheriff’s department, which provided insight into the financial side and inspired ideas for improving efficiency.
Consider Operational Costs
Regardless of the facility’s size, there will be operational costs to consider, such as staffing, food service, and healthcare for the entire incarcerated population. Project teams use the data they have gathered to estimate these costs and then compare them to industry trends to ensure the accuracy of predictions. It is helpful to have the data to support the need for increased funding to close shortfalls.
Factor resiliency into data. It is important to note that it has become increasingly challenging to analyze the data collected in the past few years amidst the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts predict that COVID is unlikely to be an isolated event and that global pandemics are likely to become somewhat routine in the future. Therefore, it behooves institutions and governmental bodies to have an action plan that allows them to be resilient in the face of a pandemic, natural disaster, or other unpredictable, disruptive event.
During the COVID lockdowns, data that would otherwise have been on a reliable trajectory for future planning was thrown off course by staff who couldn’t come to work anymore and the longer-term struggles of turnover and retention. The staffing problem is exacerbated in larger systems that have several facilities to staff. The changes brought on by COVID were nearly impossible to predict, even with the best processes and most accurate data. In Detroit, one system had to shut down one of its three jails due to pandemic staffing shortages. Ongoing issues with assaults and attempted escapes that would be mitigated by new facility designs continue to plague the system and make completing and occupying new facilities as soon as possible a top priority.
In the aftermath of COVID, more resilient designs are trending. A new facility in Cuyahoga County, near Cleveland, has disaster-proofed its design with many more medical screenings and detox units. This allows for more separation when new people come into the facility—more like 20 people to a room instead of 100—with more space for social distancing.
There are more requests for proposals coming in from other counties and states looking to invoke similar designs. Each new project starts with an evaluation of the existing facilities—including a staffing plan—to make the crucial decision of whether to renovate or rebuild and to optimize the layout and design to accommodate more modern design elements. Prioritization of different options amidst the constraints of budgets and resource availability relies heavily on data and analysis to discover where the greatest needs are. Renovation and modernization projects that are backed by data present immediate improvements and contribute to the broader plan by addressing the most urgent needs first and opening the door to further improvements as time and budget allow. Planning is paramount.
The Path Forward is Planning
The path forward for detention centers lies in meticulous planning and data-driven decision-making. By fully understanding the current state of facilities, employing standard metrics for data collection, and considering operational costs and resiliency, corrections departments can navigate the complexities of their systems and prioritize the most urgent needs. Planning must account not only for the immediate deficiencies in infrastructure but also for future growth and evolving societal expectations regarding justice, safety, and rehabilitation.
A focus on adaptability is critical. As demonstrated by recent projects, the ability to innovate and pivot in response to changing conditions—whether from pandemics, natural disasters, or other unforeseen challenges—will be crucial to the success of future correctional facility designs. This requires a commitment to flexibility in architectural design and operational models, ensuring these facilities can respond swiftly and effectively to emerging needs.
Planning is not just a priority—it is paramount in creating secure, efficient, and resilient detention centers that meet the evolving needs of our justice system. By fostering collaboration between stakeholders, integrating sustainability initiatives, and adopting cutting-edge technology, corrections departments can establish facilities that meet today’s demands and remain viable for years to come.
________________________________
Jeff Goodale, AIA, ACA, is director of HOK’s Global Justice group, with more than 35 years of experience in the programming, planning, design, and construction of complex justice projects. Jeff is a member of HOK’s board of directors and global marketing board. For more information, he can be reached at jeff.goodale@hok.com
