Executives and administrators in most jurisdictions will have the opportunity to plan only one jail during their career. Although criminal justice planners and architectural firms have the technical expertise to plan and design the new jail, the jurisdiction will operate that jail long after they are gone. Therefore, it is important that the jail is designed to meet the operational and space needs of the jurisdiction and the agency that will operate it.

Owner involvement throughout the planning process is crucial to the success of the planning effort and, ultimately, the successful construction and operation of the new jail. Decisions made at this stage of the planning process will affect the remainder of the project.

Planning of New Institutions does not teach participants how to design a jail; instead, it teaches the importance of indepth planning before starting jail design. Concepts are taught through case studies, allowing participants to get “hands-on” experience in planning methods. This program focuses on the critical elements of planning a new facility, including collecting and using data, prearchitectural programming, site evaluation, project management, and determining staffing needs.

Audience

This program is designed for four-person teams from jurisdictions that have made a firm decision to construct a jail, are ready to take control of the project, and are willing to engage in a major planning effort. Team members must have key policymaking and decision-making roles in the new jail project. The team must include the sheriff or director of corrections, the jail administrator, a county commissioner or county supervisor, and the county executive or administrator. If the jurisdiction has an architect, project manager, or criminal justice planner under contract for the project, he/she may be included as a fifth member of the team at the jurisdiction’s expense.