Podular direct supervision jails, also known as new generation jails, were designed by the United States Federal Bureau of Prisons to address a variety of security concerns, including inmate-inmate violence, inmate-staff violence, suicide, and property damage. The three new podular direct supervision facilities that were built experienced immediate reductions in violence, suicide, and property damage.  Critics assumed that the success of these jails could be explained by the ‘softer’ nature of inmates in the federal system relative to those held in county jails. By the 1980s, however, several county jails had moved their inmates of all security levels into the new jails and experienced similar reductions in disorder and suicide.

This workshop will include a discussion of the history and philosophy of the direct supervision jail design. Participants will learn about all of the components of direct supervision jails and why it is important for these components to be implemented.  Not all of these facilities have produced the reductions in violence and suicide that was expected, and this workshop will discuss why some jails have not been successful.

Program Goals and Learning Outcomes:

Participants will:

1.      Learn the history and philosophy of new generation jails;

2.      Understand why some of these jails have succeeded while others have failed; and

3.      Understand the political and personnel challenges to proposing and building a new generation jail.