Thirteenth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Our culture doesn’t often think of or care to think of those who have wrong society. In fact, once convicted, we often hear “throw away the key”. However, this is not only unhealthy for society, but unhealthy for those serving time in our correctional institutions. While it is obvious that prisons by their very nature have certain building specifications, most of these were created in the early 1800s and have not changed much since then. The needs of those they house however have changed greatly. Most prisons that even the most dastardly of our society call home, can and should update the manner in which they secure their charges. With longer sentences than in previous centuries, we now house not just the virile and dangerous, but also along side them, the aging and elderly. We have not however, adjusted the manner in which we house them. This paper examines this oversight and how it has affected the health of both the inmate as well as the increasing cost to tax payers. Based on phenomenological research done in multiple prisons in both the US and abroad, we also discuss physical changes that could be made in order to lessen the healthcare and financial burden that our society faces. We also entertain ideas for new structures moving forward.