Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Prisons are currently covered under National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) but there is an opportunity to try to expand its application to prisoners themselves, pulling on current efforts in criminal justice reform, environmental justice considerations to address the overrepresentation of minorities in prisons, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) responsibility for prisoner safety and health. Application of NEPA related to construction and impact of prisons is currently confined to effects on the surrounding urban areas. Case law confirms that a sufficient physical impact (e.g. construction of a prison or detention center) can trigger an environmental impact statement for those living in the surrounding urban communities, but not the impact on the prisoners themselves. This paper will give a voice to the prisoners, discuss the roles of key stakeholders from prison administration and community, and offer solutions.