Corrections Connections

This week’s episode is brought to you by Willoughby Industries, offering American-made plumbing, water management and locking solutions for demanding correctional environments since 1947. Visit willoughby-ind.com or call 463-314-1043 to get started.

Let's get into it with project updates:

• Dallas County officials in Texas have agreed to borrow $350 million in certificates of obligation, with $60 million set aside to buy and develop land for a new jail.
• The cost estimate for a new judicial center in Athens-Clarke County, Ga., has risen to $226 million, nearly triple the $77 million voters approved in 2020.
• Phase 2 of a $50 million renovation at the St. Charles County, Mo., jail is nearing completion, adding behavioral health and substance abuse treatment space.
• Sevier County, Tenn., held a grand opening ceremony for its new $34 million, 60,000-square-foot Rex Henry Ogle Courts Building.
• Officials in Ashtabula County, Ohio updated residents on plans for a $30 million jail expansion project expected to add 209 beds and 55,000 square feet.
• Officials in Stanislaus County, Calif., are considering a $6.75 million remodel of the county's two outdated juvenile justice courtrooms.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• Miami County, Ohio officials are weighing repairs to its 54-year-old jail after voters rejected a sales tax levy that would have funded a new $90 million to $100 million facility.

Next, in people news:

• Architecture firm McMillan Pazdan Smith has hired Brad Ewing as a regional practice leader.
• The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government in Georgia has appointed Charles Mason as the new Warden and Corrections Department Director.
• The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections has appointed Tobie Lamy as its new Assistant Director for Probation and Parole.

Moving on to construction reports:

• Weld County, Colo., has issued an RFP to construction manager and general contractor firms for the Weld County Justice Center project, with bids due June 22.
• The Washington, D.C. Department of General Services has issued a Request for Information for the new District of Columbia Correctional Treatment Facility Annex project, with responses due July 15.

And finishing up with events:

• The Correctional Leaders Association's Midwest Region meeting will take place this week from May 27–30 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of May 18.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Willoughby Industries, offering American-made plumbing, water management and locking solutions for demanding correctional environments since 1947. Visit willoughby-ind.com or call 463-314-1043 to get started.

Let's get into it with project updates:

• The Blair County Prison Board in Pennsylvania approved designs for a new 450-bed prison, with a cost estimate of about $100 million.
• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and other state officials broke ground on four new juvenile justice facilities designed to replace the Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility.
• Officials in Teton County, Wyo., broke ground last week on a new $120 million, three-story justice center, with construction expected to finish in the summer of 2028.
• Commissioners in Liberty County, Texas, have selected White Construction as the CMAR for the county's new $100 million, 600-bed jail project.
• The Whatcom County Council in Washington state has approved a preliminary $240 million planning budget for a new jail project.

Up next in legislation and funding:

• Members of the Florida House of Representatives have cut their proposed correctional facility construction funding budget from $127 million to $80 million.
• Officials in Boone County, Mo., have requested adding a 3/8-cent sales tax increase to the August election ballot to fund the construction of a new 570-bed jail.

Moving on to people and company news:

• Leo Technologies has been awarded a five-year, $106 million contract by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to provide AI-enabled translation and transcription services.
• Macomb County, Mich., Executive Mark Hackel has appointed Sarah Gillies as director of the Macomb County Juvenile Justice Center.

And now for this week's construction reports:

• The Maine Bureau of General Services is accepting bids for the construction of the new Hancock Judicial Center, with bids due June 16.
• The Guilford County Purchasing Department in North Carolina has issued an RFP for firms to provide advisory and oversight for selecting and implementing a modern records management system and jail management system, with proposals due June 12.

And finishing up with events:

• The Correctional Leaders Association's Midwest Region meeting will take place in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., from May 27–30.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of May 11.

This episode is brought to you by Willoughby Industries, American-made since 1947. Visit willoughby-ind.com or call 463-314-1043 to get started.

Let's get started with project updates:

• Officials with the Pueblo County, Colo., Sheriff's Office cut the ribbon to the new $150 million Pueblo County Detention Center last week, the first net-zero energy detention facility in the country.
• Work has started on a new $86 million jail and sheriff's office complex project in Greene County, Wis., with completion expected by October of 2028.
• Officials in Douglas County, Nev., said construction of the county's new $47.9 million Justice Center project is on schedule and about 26% complete, with completion targeted for spring of 2026.
• A major expansion and renovation project at the Arapahoe County Detention Center in Colorado is now complete after three years of work.
• South Dakota Governor Larry Roeden attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for the new $7.4 million Edmonds County Jail and Sheriff's Office.
• A former cell block at the Norfolk City Jail in Virginia has been renovated into a fully equipped medical and mental health services clinic.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• Bills adding a half-cent sales tax increase to fund a $45.5 million jail replacement project in Sherburne County, Minn., have advanced through the state's legislature.
• The Dougherty County Commission in Georgia has approved adding a 10% fee on bonds and fines to fund jail construction, operation, and staffing expenses.

Up next in people news:

• Mark Kohles has joined Treanor as Director of Project Delivery in the firm's Lawrence, Kansas office.

For this week's construction reports:

• Construction Manager Skanska is seeking bids for renovation and restoration work at the Montgomery County, Pa., Justice Center's historic county courthouse, with bids due June 2.
• Lauderdale County, Miss., is seeking contractors to install a new IP-based video surveillance system at the Lauderdale County Detention Facility, with bids due June 2.
• Clackamas County, Ore.,is seeking bids for security electronics system upgrades at the Clackamas County Jail, with bids due June 4.

And finishing up with events for the week:

• There's still time to register for a free webinar from Correctional News and ViaPath Technologies this Wednesday, May 13, titled "Telehealth in Corrections."
• The American Jail Association's 45th Conference and Jail Expo will open this weekend in Milwaukee from May 16–20.
• The Correctional Leaders Association's Midwest Region meeting will be held May 27–30 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of May 4.

This episode is brought to you by Willoughby Industries, American-made since 1947. Visit willoughby-ind.com or call 463-314-1043 to get started.

Let's get into it with project updates:

• A special committee voted to resume construction of the new Cuyahoga County Central Services Campus project in Ohio last week. The estimated $894 million project is expected to be complete in 2029.
• A groundbreaking ceremony was held late last month for the $170 million Eddy County Detention Center project in New Mexico, with construction expected to take three years.
• The latest schematic design plans for a new jail in Muscogee County, Ga., call for a facility with about 1,600 beds, with an estimated construction cost of more than $480 million.
• Construction bids for a new $35.7 million courthouse project in Transylvania County, N.C., are expected to go out in June, with project completion expected by the end of 2028.
• A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held late last month at the new Idaho County Jail in Grangeville, Idaho.

Up next in legislation and funding:

• Last week, the Maine Department of Corrections announced the state's participation in Reentry 2030, a national initiative aimed at reducing recidivism.
• Lawmakers in Colorado passed two bills last week aimed at reducing the state's prison population.

Moving on to people news:

• Wayne Salisbury, director of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, announced he will step down from his post in June to take on a new role overseeing efforts to reform New York's Rikers Island jail complex.
• Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced the retirement of Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm and appointed Greg Lovelace to serve the remainder of Hamm’s term.

And now for this week's construction reports:

• Howell County, Mo., has issued an RFQ for architectural design and construction services for a new Sheriff's Office and Jail or Justice Center project, with submittals due May 21.
• Eagle County, Colo., has issued an RFP for a construction manager and general contractor for an expansion project at the Eagle County Justice Center, with bids due May 26.
• Navajo County, Ariz., has issued an RFQ to consultants for development of a comprehensive site and facilities master plan for the governmental complex in Holbrook, with submittals due May 27.

And finishing up with events:

• Correctional News and Viapath Technologies will host an exclusive webinar, "Telehealth in Corrections: Enhancing Positive Correctional Care Outcomes," on Wednesday, May 13.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of April 27.

Let's get started with project updates:

• South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden and other officials broke ground last week on a new $650 million men's prison in Sioux Falls, with completion expected in 2029.
• Officials in New York City held a topping-out ceremony last week as the last structural steel beam was placed atop the new 15 story Brooklyn Borough-Based jail.
• Wasatch County, Utah has proposed a three-phase renovation of its aging jail facility, with work spanning the next 5 to 10 years.
• Brazos County, Texas is advancing construction of a four-story courthouse annex, with completion targeted for May 2028.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• Monroe County, Ind., faces a near-term decision to advance a new criminal justice complex as legal pressure from the ACLU mounts over unsafe jail conditions.
• Commissioners in Lehigh County, Pa., voted to enter a 20-year agreement with four other counties to develop a regional juvenile detention center in Berks County.

Up next in people news:

• California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Marie Daley has been appointed Chief of Legislative Affairs and Operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Eric Mejia has been appointed warden of the California Institution for Men.

And now for this week's construction reports:

• The County of San Luis Obispo, Calif., is requesting statements of qualifications from design-build entities to convert an existing facility into a new adult and youth behavioral health facility, with submittals due May 28.
• Hendry County, Fla., is soliciting qualifications from architecture and engineering firms for a mental health addition to the Hendry County Government Complex, with submittals due May 22.
• The Elmore County Commission in Alabama is seeking proposals for the construction of a new county jail, with bids due June 2.
• The City of Devils Lake, N.D., has issued an RFQ to architectural and engineering firms for a new police headquarters facility, with submittals due June 5.

And finishing up with events:

• The Correctional Leaders Association Southern Region meeting will take place this week in Oklahoma City from April 28–May 1.
• An International Corrections and Prisons Association webinar, "Challenges in Conducting Research in Corrections," will take place on May 6.
• The second episode of Correctional News's new Corrections Connections docuseries, "Changing Minds, Changing Lives," is now live.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of April 20.

Let's get started with project updates:

• Officials with Dimeo Construction Company laid out an early timeline for the new $174 million Framingham Regional Justice Center project in Massachusetts, with construction expected to finish in the spring of 2029.
• State officials in Montana toured the site of a major expansion at Montana State Prison, which is part of a nearly $700 million system-wide improvement and is expected to be complete by January of 2029.
• Cuyahoga County, Ohio officials reached a tentative agreement on a $150 million, six-year renovation of the county's aging Justice Center.
• Freedom of Information documents reveal that the province of Ontario, Canada is planning a large-scale, multi-decade jail expansion adding nearly 6,000 beds by 2050.
• Officials in Henderson County, N.C., broke ground last week on a new $101 million courthouse expansion that could be finished as soon as fall 2028.

Up next in legislation and funding:

• The Fulton County, Ga., Board of Commissioners unanimously approved $1.3 billion in financing to renovate and build facilities at the Fulton County Jail.
• Commissioners in Dallas County, Texas, are considering issuing $350 million in debt to fund capital projects, including $60 million for land acquisition for a new jail.
• Arkansas's proposed 3,000-bed Franklin County Prison project remains on hold following repeated legislative rejection of its funding plan.

Moving on to people news:

• Wold Architects and Engineers announced four promotions to the practice's Associates leadership team: Brian Hicks, Ellis Joyner, Cody Knobloch, and Dylan Sullivan.

Moving along to construction reports:

• Salt Lake County, Utah has issued an RFP to architectural and engineering firms for the Adult Detention Center expansion project, with proposals due May 6.
• The Texas Department of Criminal Justice has issued an RFQ to professional architecture and engineering firms for various rehabilitation and repair projects, with submittals due May 6.
• Montgomery County, Texas, has issued an RFQ to architecture and engineering firms for the design and construction of a new County Justice Center, with submittals due May 6.
• Construction Manager Bernards is seeking trade contractors for a project to reconfigure an existing Youth Guidance Center into a new Adult Reentry Center in Orange County, Calif., with bids due May 19.

And finishing up with events:

• The International Corrections and Prisons Association's Prison Technology and Design Conference will take place this week in Rabat, Morocco from April 21–24.
• The ICPA will also host a webinar, "Challenges in Conducting Research in Corrections," on May 6.
• For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of April 13.

Let's get started with project updates:

• New York City opened its first Outposted Therapeutic Housing Unit, a 104-bed facility at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, designed for people in custody with complex medical needs.
• Commissioners in Montgomery County, Texas, met to discuss options for replacing the county's jail, with proposals ranging from a $200 million acquisition to a new $976.8 million facility.
• Construction of the new $97.5 million Madison County Jail in Indiana is progressing on track and under budget, with completion expected in October.
• The Harris County Sheriff's Office in Texas announced the partial opening of a new 960-bed medical wing at the 1200 Baker Street Jail in Houston.
• A groundbreaking ceremony was held last week for the new $35 million Colbert County Justice Center in Alabama.

Next, in legislation and funding:

• The Ohio Controlling Board approved the release of almost $30 million in capital funding from the Ohio Department of Youth Services to support the construction of a new community correctional facility in Cuyahoga County.

Moving on to people and company news:

• Sletten Construction Company has named Jeremy Miller as the company's new Preconstruction Division Manager.
• Real-time location systems provider Actall Corporation announced that Stephen Manifold has been named fractional Chief Marketing Officer.
• Technology company Vant4ge has partnered with global professional services firm Guidehouse to deliver integrated, AI-enabled solutions for public sector agencies.
• Modular and steel solutions provider VITALSpace announced that it has added custom guard booth and protective enclosure manufacturer B.I.G. Enterprises to its company portfolio.

Up next in construction reports:

• Merced County, Calif., is seeking bids from contractors for the adaptive reuse and interior modernization of a facility to support behavioral health services, with bids due April 30.
• Waupaca County, Wis., has issued an RFP to vendors to replace and upgrade door, intercom, and utility systems at the Waupaca County Jail, with bids due May 11.

And finishing this week with events:

• The National Commission on Correctional Healthcare's Spring Conference on Correctional Healthcare opens this Saturday and runs through April 21 in New Orleans.
• Next week, the International Corrections and Prisons Association's Prison Technology and Design Conference will take place in Rabat, Morocco from April 21–24.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of April 6.

Let's get started with project updates:

• Commissioners in Flathead County, Mont., finalized an owner's representative agreement with In2itive Architecture to oversee construction of the new $93.5 million Flathead County Jail, with construction expected to begin June 1.
• Officials in Deschutes County, Ore., said the new $48.4 million Deschutes County Circuit Courthouse is about three-quarters complete, with a ribbon-cutting targeted for August.
• The first phase of renovations has been approved for the 1,200-bed Dougherty County Jail in Georgia, starting with roughly $11 million for security and HVAC upgrades.
• The Grant County Council in Indiana held a public meeting to discuss options for its detention facilities, ranging from a $98 million renovation to building a new $127 million jail.
• Sheriff Mark Herford of Beauregard Parish, La., has proposed building a new 500-bed jail, which could cost approximately $10 million if a sales tax continuation passes.
• The Planning Commission in Kern County, Calif., approved permits for a new expansion at the James G. Bowles Youth Detention Center.

Next, in legislation and funding:

• President Donald Trump is seeking $152 million in the 2027 Federal Bureau of Prisons fiscal year budget to reopen the Alcatraz Prison as a secure detention facility.

Moving on to people news:

• The Iowa Department of Corrections has named Janie Mendez as the new warden of the Iowa State Penitentiary.
• Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced four appointments to the state's Correctional Managed Healthcare Committee.

Next up in construction reports:

• Pierce County, Wash., has issued an RFQ to architecture firms for pre-design and architectural services for a renovation of the county's jail, with bids due April 29.
• Pierce County is also seeking qualified architecture firms to design and construct a new juvenile justice center, with bids due April 29.
• Pryor Morrow, on behalf of Lee County, Miss., is seeking precast detention cell providers for its new $97.8 million Lee County Adult Detention Center project, with bids due May 5.
• Meigs County, Tenn., has issued an RFQ to architectural and engineering firms to address the county's detention facility capacity needs, with bids due May 11.

And finishing up with events:

• The National Commission on Correctional Health Care's Spring Conference on Correctional Health Care is scheduled for April 18–21 in New Orleans.
• The International Corrections and Prisons Association's first Prison Technology and Design Conference will take place in Rabat, Morocco from April 21–24.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of March 30.

This episode is brought to you by Cortech, a family-owned, American-made manufacturer of molded furnishings for correctional environments. Contact them at 1-800-571-0770 or visit Cortechusa.com.

Let's get into it with project updates:

• Commissioners in Stearns County, Minn., approved the majority of construction contracts for the new Stearns County Justice Center, with the construction budget now estimated at $291 million.
• In Montgomery County, Texas, commissioners have voted to move forward with a plan to construct a new $250 million, 7-story county courthouse.
• A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new $46 million Ector County Juvenile Justice Center in Texas, with completion expected in late 2027.
• Officials in Humphreys County, Tenn., have broken ground on the new Humphreys County Law Enforcement Center, which will house a 178-bed jail.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

• Leaders in Shawano County, Wis., have unanimously voted to approve borrowing up to $121 million to fund the design and construction of a new county courthouse and jail.
• The New Hampshire Executive Council has voted to pause an almost $36 million contract with DLR Group to design and initiate construction on a new 1,500-bed men's prison.

Next, in people news:

• South Dakota Department of Corrections Secretary Nick Lamb has appointed Eric Aldridge to serve as the first Warden of the Rapid City Correctional Facility.
• New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards appointed Margaret Egan as the agency's First Deputy Commissioner.

Moving on to construction reports:

• The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn., is seeking proposals from contractors for the design and construction of a replacement correctional facility, with bids due April 16.
• The Town of Plymouth, Mass. has issued an RFP for consultants to provide a feasibility study on consolidating the Plymouth Fire and Police Departments, with proposals due April 21.

And finishing up with events:

• The National Commission on Correctional Health Care's Spring Conference on Correctional Health Care will take place in New Orleans from April 18–21.
• The International Corrections and Prisons Association's Prison Technology and Design Conference is scheduled for April 21–24 in Rabat, Morocco.
• For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.

Welcome to Weekly Connections! Here is your summary of key updates from the justice industry for the week of March 23.

This episode is brought to you by Cortech, a family-owned, American-made manufacturer of molded furnishings for correctional environments. Contact them at 1-800-571-0770 or visit cortechusa.com.

Let's get started with project updates:

1. Leaders in Williamson County, Tenn., broke ground on a new 114,900-square-foot juvenile justice center, with construction expected to be completed in the summer of 2028.
2. A new $105 million justice center and jail in Hamblen County, Tenn., is officially open and operational.
3. Officials in Milwaukee County, Wis., recently shared new renderings for its new $500 million public safety building, with groundbreaking planned for 2029.
4. The Henderson County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina voted to approve a $101 million project to expand the Henderson County Courthouse.
5. Commissioners in Union County, N.C., are considering four options, ranging from $178 million to $216 million, to expand capacity at the Union County Detention Center.
6. Antrim County, Mich., officials released a report estimating its new public safety center to cost $32.7 million, about $5.2 million higher than anticipated.

Moving on to legislation and funding:

1. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has requested that the state's General Assembly pass a budget that would give state law enforcement $211 million in funding to help raise starting salaries.

Up next in people news:

1. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Director Annette Chambers-Smith announced she will be leaving the department for a role in Gov. Mike DeWine's office, effective March 28.
2. Dennis R. Patterson Sr. has been named the new Deputy Director for Operations for the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
3. The Virginia Department of Corrections has launched a nationwide search for the agency's next Deputy Director for Institutions, with an application deadline of April 17.

Moving on to construction reports:

1. Wharton County, Texas has issued an RFP for CMAR firms to build a new Sheriff's Office and Jail building, with bids due April 15.
2. The Norman Police Department in Oklahoma is seeking consulting firms to provide a facility condition assessment and space needs analysis, with proposals due May 15.
3. Commissioners in Scioto County, Ohio are seeking bids for a security system retrofit project at the Scioto County Jail, with bids due April 2.

And finishing up with events:

1. The Correctional Leaders Association Spring Deputy Directors and Probation and Parole Conference is currently underway in Hilton Head, S.C., and will run through March 27.
2. Next month, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care's Spring Conference on Correctional Health Care will take place in New Orleans from April 18–21.

For more details or to access the links mentioned, check out our podcast show notes at correctionalnews.com/podcast.