The expansion of the Pima County Justice Facility is a local, regional, and national resource showcasing how operations and design can come together to create an environment that affects the behavior of inmates and staff alike. With an increasing inmate population, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department Facilities Management team needed to expand the existing detention center and improve well-being, safety and security for corrections staff and inmates.
Phasing and construction was conducted in two major phases over three years and required considerable analysis and planning to minimize operational impacts on the facility. Each key aspect was evaluated and addressed in the development of the construction documents.
In addition to 384 new beds in low to medium custody units, this project included 107 beds in new acute and chronic mental health units and 19 infirmary beds. A new centralized public entry, video visitation facility, a staff services area and kitchen enhances efficiencies and protection. Replacing the existing cramped and outdated booking and medical outpatient areas, the newly designed open space provides extensive use of video arraignment and other efficiency enhancing features.
AECOM provided comprehensive security system design to combine the intricate systems of three separate control areas into one new central command center. Further improving the protection of inmates, the system design included full CCTV coverage of the facility as well as correction office man-down locators, inmate and staff tracking system, intercom, door control, and localized water and electrical control.
Awards
- Kemper Goodwin Award– Architectural Collaboration, American Institute of Architects Arizona, 2005
- Certificate of Merit, Justice Facilities Review, American Institute of Architects, 2006