Introduction
A suitable juvenile facility design has to be derived from the function of the facility and the needs there. Doing a good design does depend on the fact that the individuals that are going to use the facility are young youths that have been put there for the sake of intervention in their lives before their lives span into full brown criminal activities (Michael, 2011).
With this in mind, it is important to put into consideration the issues of space, the programs that are going to be carried out, and also the staff therein to be able to create an environment that does give support to the development of positive behavior and that the individual does cooperate with the process of rehabilitation.
The design should be developed in such a way that it greatly does facilitate the rehabilitation of a juvenile, professional have a view that even short periods of detention of juveniles does play a great role as far as teaching a lesson to the juvenile is concerned, hence the efforts that are put when designing such a facility should be focused on creating of space that aids the teaching, the learning activities, and all aspects, this aspect can include casual way of running daily activities being touched by the design and also social activities through the pursuit of education that is formal and family interactions.
It has been the case that in recent years, juvenile jail design has taken the shape of adult jails with larger space, bigger housing units and also the use of restrictive materials of construction and hardware. This trend is against most professionals who view, that a juvenile facility is not jail and that it is a place of safety for a young person, a place where they can receive their last hope for the sake of a brighter future, they are supposed to be facilities that serve that young who need direction in life (Michael, 2011).
For a design that will significantly put influence the quality of services offered to residents associated with the youth population. A form of a guide can be used to develop information concerning operational and design issues. They include Need Analysis, priorities of Management, safety and also security, the character of the environment, Daily activities of programming and also putting into consideration the issue of staff efficiency
Need Analysis
Local authorities do put a lot of attention on security believing that maximum security will be the solution to numerous problems. A jail facility does permit a forceful approach against misconduct that is done by youth. Developing a juvenile facility can men ease of transportation to distance facilities, and also that the agencies that enforce that law and also that the courts can ensure that the juveniles that exhibit delinquent behavior and their family do engage in a process that aids problem solving and also services that offer treatment to the behavior (Michael, 2011).
Safety and also security and priorities of management
In regard to all facilities of residence to juveniles, regardless of the level of security, safe environment should be provided, an environment that is safe where the juveniles are secure from external harm and the neighboring community is also free from any harm arising from the juvenile facility. The user of the juvenile facility should feel that they are protected from threats originating from outside the facility and they should also feel safe with their fellow residents. A consistent interaction with the staff and the youth inside the facility does assure the residents of this, another thing that can promote this perception is mall size of groups, giving opportunity of privacy and defining boundaries. When the residents feel that they are free from harm an aggressive territorial behavior is diminished (Tedd, 2004). The staff attending the juveniles must feel safe at all times, receiving support from other staff. When the staff questions their safety, they will not accomplish their task to the maximum. In order to obtain the highest level of safety the residents must feel that they are under observation at all times and them being aware that their movement and their actions are under surveillance. Where the residents are housed there should be direct supervision, with living spaces that should be easily supervised with support located outside is the premises, this is preferred by most professionals.The materials used inside should be less restrictive and less obtrusive, this is because most the juvenile cases do not call for such drastic measures.
Design
Developing a secure design, numerous activity areas are needed, that can allow the staff to have control over the access between an area or zone that are used for living that is multipurpose, then to the houses of the support, and the area of space that is outside the residence and the multipurpose area to the area of carrying out activities that are done in a community that includes learning and activities of recreation processes
To note no matter the level of security the best security can only be attained by the involvement of the staff with the residents (Thomas, 2005).
The following is a simple design showing an implementation of the discussed design.
Evidence and analysis
It is a fact that not all juveniles are required to be put under safe custody, actually for most of the youth population can receive service from various community-based programs and at the process without compromising the security of the juvenile or the community at large. Secure apprehension should only be applied in those cases that prove that they are a clear threat to public or even the process of the court (Tedd, 2004)
Conclusion
In as much as juvenile delinquents depict negative behavior their age does give room for correction without applying lethal force. A safe environment should be provided, an environment that is safe where the juveniles are secure from external harm and the neighboring community is also free from any harm arising from the juvenile facility. At the same time, the facility should speak to the juvenile an opportunity to respond with a positive behavior (Thomas, 2005) but not final condemnation.
References
Michael. M. Project Guide: Juvenile Facility Design. NAATAP, (2011).
Tedd.K Yaphank Residential Juvenile Detention Center .Yaphak: The Liro Group, (2004).
Thomas.P. Examining the planning design and operational Components of juvenile Detention. Massachusetts: Orbis Partners Inc, (2005)