ABSTRACT

This chapter provides an overview of the programming process for a specific building type. It describes the programming process as currently practiced by many nationally recognized correctional planners. National firms noted for the expertise in the area of correctional facility planning were recently surveyed with a questionnaire that included both closed and open-ended questions. Programming correctional facilities pays off in more ways than in just eventual construction and operational savings. Correctional programmers underscore the difficulty of providing quality service within the often meager fee budget generally allocated to programming. Post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) inform programmers where the client is coming from, clarify the clients' perspective of reality, and provide a wealth of information on how the client currently does everything, from scrubbing floors to screening incoming inmates infected with AIDS. For clients with recently completed or older buildings who want a closer fit between design and operations, a POE can be used to fine-tune the facility.