For a new jail to operate effectively, its design must reflect and facilitate the intended operations. All too often, owners and operators of new jails relinquish design decisions to architects and contractors, then discover they must “fit” their operations to the physical plant—to the detriment of operations over the lifetime of the jail. This program will focus on the skills and abilities needed for an agency to take control of this process. It will help the participants take an active role in managing the day-to-day activities, resolving problems, and making decisions related to the design and construction process.The program introduces participants to project management and clarifies the participants’ roles and responsibilities related to the development, design, and construction of the new jail. Note: This program is not intended to teach participants how to plan and design a new jail. It focuses instead on their role in directing the design and construction processes.

Audience

This program is designed for two- or three-person teams from agencies that are in the early stages of designing a new jail. Team members must have key policymaking and decisionmaking roles in the new jail project and include:

1. The sheriff or jail administrator.
2. The project manager.
3. Other staff member assigned to the project.

Successful applicants may or may not have hired an architect. Agencies that participate in this program must have a firm commitment to the construction of a new facility and have funding for the project. They should be about to begin the design phase of the project and have completed or are completing a needs assessment and a feasibility study. Agencies that have completed the "Planning of New Institutions" training will be given priority for selection.