Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $1,335,073)
The Recovery Act - Renovation of Correctional Facilities on Tribal Lands Discretionary Grant Program assists tribes in developing strategies to cost effectively construct or renovate existing facilities associated with the incarceration and rehabilitation of juvenile and adult offenders subject to tribal jurisdiction. Careful planning is critical to ensure that new and renovated correctional facilities are appropriately designed for the intended population, supportive of cultural and traditional values, safe and secure when completed, and are in compliance with appropriate standards regarding correctional operations, programs, and design.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will use its Recovery Act Correctional Facilities award to improve the booking and processing areas, improve the corridors to increase safety, and address security issues due to the risk of fires at their jail. The Tribes' jail facilities have experienced increases in the number of people processed every year since 2005. This increase is expected to continue at least through 2010. Offenders are being booked and released due to jail overcrowding, and the applicant states that 70 percent of offenders are released due to lack of space.
The project will improve spaces for jail staff and inmates. It will allow for a dedicated space for prisoners to meet with advocates or family, which was previously not available as the booking room was also used to serve this function. Booking spaces will also be updated by adding a sally port and cells. The port provides security as prisoners are moved from cars to booking. The port area will also serve as an exercise area during the winter and will be utilized in emergency evacuations if a fire were to occur in the detention area. In addition, to address risks from fire, a fire alarm and sprinklers will be added. Without these items, any fire at the facility could spread quickly, as the facility has a wooden ceiling and roof.
Construction costs will also be done for a laundry room, as the current facility has the washer and dryer in opposite sides of the building due to the overall lack of space in the facility and the need to utilize every available space as a result. Construction will also be done to add storage and mechanical space.
The award will also be used to address access through the facility by constructing corridors. Showers for prsioners who need to be cleaned for processing are located in the center of the building and the only way to reach those is by going outside, through communications, or through the kitchen. Prisoners are also moved through corridors that the judges use to get to offices.
When moving prisoners, facility staff are also concerned about the glass door they have to pass, which has an emergency open crash bar. Some offenders have tried to escape when passing. Prisoners also have climbed the fence in the exercise yard. Doors will be installed here and in other locations to increase security, and construction of the fence will also be done so that these issues are addressed.
In addition to the added benefits of security, renovations from this project will also improve the ability of social services to serve the incarcerated population.
CA/NCF