How Correctional Facilities benefit from Modular Construction

Modular construction has grown in popularity since its inception because of the speed in which buildings can be built and the variety of ways the buildings can be used. This method of construction is not limited to any particular industry or business. One of the many industries that have taken advantage of modular construction is the Department of Corrections (D.O.C).

According to the National Council of Crime and Delinquency, the United States has the largest incarceration rate in the world. Most of these facilities, whether it’s the local jail or state and federal prisons, are either at full capacity or over capacity. Prison overcrowding poses a great risk not only to inmates, but also to the correctional officers who work there. These risks include but are not limited to:

• Stress among inmates and staff
• Increased risk of violence
• Spread of disease and illness
• Sentence reduction(possibly releasing dangerous offenders into society)

Correctional Facilities use modular prisons to help solve these issues. Modular buildings offer solutions for any type of inmate housing or other support building necessary, such as:

• Minimum to Medium Security inmate housing
• Adult and youth facilities
• Inmate Lockup and holding cells
• Interview, processing, and waiting rooms
• Administrative buildings
• Cafeteria and kitchen areas
• Visitation halls
• Infirmary housing, health facilities

These facilities are built to meet all of the D.O.C codes and standards as well as security and safety concerns. They can include state of the art security features like 1” polycarbonate/glass one-way vision panels and Sergent M9200 institutional locks with tamer-resistant screw plates.

With modular construction the D.O.C. has the option to choose between building a whole new facility or to add temporary or permanent structures to their current facility. This method is a more secure method of construction because most of the construction takes place in a factory, away from the prison. There is less site disturbance and the prison will be back to its normal routine faster than with traditional construction.

By expanding onto an existing facility or building a new correctional facility, modular construction can help elevate the prison overcrowding faster than traditional construction would. Modular prisons improve the working conditions for the staff and the living conditions for inmates.

To learn how you can alleviate prison overcrowding click here.