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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 6. Criminal Justice And Corrections
Agency 15. State Board of Local and Regional Jails
Chapter 81. Standards for Planning, Design, Construction, and Reimbursement of Local Correctional Facilities
11/21/2024

6VAC15-81-650. Security levels of housing.

A. Secure housing shall be constructed to provide housing for maximum, medium, and minimum custody inmates. Consideration shall be given to the mental health needs of inmates which may require dedicated housing areas with additional space for mental health professionals, treatment, and counseling. "Secure housing" means housing for all maximum, medium, and minimum inmates not classified as community custody.

1. The basic distribution of custody levels is expected to be 30% maximum, 40% medium, and 30% minimum or may vary based on documentation provided in the needs assessment.

2. Female housing shall consist of at least two separate units of which at least 50% of the female design capacity is medium security or higher.

3. Up to 25% of minimum custody may be community custody. Community custody beds do not require construction of special purpose cells.

B. Maximum security housing units shall be designed as groupings of single cells with dayrooms to afford protection for persons requiring maximum supervision.

1. The number of inmates per housing unit shall depend upon the degree of surveillance and security provided, but for facilities designed for an occupancy of 240 or fewer inmates, the unit shall be designed not to exceed 24 inmates per housing unit. For facilities designed for an occupancy in excess of 240 inmates, the number of occupants for which the unit is designed may be increased but shall not exceed 48 inmates per unit. A minimum of two maximum security housing units shall be provided. For indirect supervision facilities, all units shall be provided with direct visual observation from a control room. For direct supervision facilities, the reviewing authority may require that units be provided with direct visual observation from a control room.

2. 20% to 25% of maximum security cells may be dedicated as a classification unit. The classification unit shall be located in proximity to the intake unit. Consideration shall be given to male and female population. The classification unit shall include at least one private interview room, office space for classification personnel, medical room, and record storage.

C. Medium security housing units shall be designed as single, double, or four-inmate cells with common dayroom. The owner shall determine the number and type of cells per housing unit. The owner shall determine the number and type of cells per housing unit; however, no less than 30% of these cells shall be designed for single occupancy. These units shall be designed to accommodate no more than 64 inmates per housing unit for direct supervision or 48 inmates per housing unit for indirect supervision. At least two housing units shall be provided. For indirect supervision facilities, the reviewing authority may require that all units provide direct visual observation from a control room.

D. Minimum security housing units shall be designed as dormitories or multiple occupancy cells. Minimum security areas shall be designed to accommodate no more than 48 inmates per housing unit in dormitories or 64 inmates per unit with multiple occupancy cells. At least two housing units shall be provided.

E. Community custody facilities shall be constructed in accordance with Part VI (6VAC15-81-1130 et seq.) of this chapter. Consideration should be given to male and female populations.

F. Juvenile housing.

1. If the facility is to hold juveniles, housing units shall be physically, audibly, and visually separated from adult areas to prohibit adult and juvenile communication in accordance with the "Guidance Manual for Monitoring Facilities under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Act of 2002," published by OJJDP in October 2010. Showers, personal hygiene, and dressing areas shall be designed to comply with PREA.

2. Juvenile housing units shall provide general purpose housing designed and constructed in accordance with maximum security requirements of this chapter.

Statutory Authority

§§ 53.1-5, 53.1-80, and 53.1-82 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 34, Issue 12, eff. March 8, 2018.

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