[Celtic Conservative]

I understand that there are certain prison designs that have been effective in stopping prisoner rape and other abuses. For instance a design in which all the cells are arranged in a round pattern with a guard platform in the center. The guards can see into all the cells at all times. The prisoners hate the lack of privacy, but are much better behaved

prison design has taken leaps and bounds in the last 20 years. designs which allow for continuous observability, and few "blind spots" have slowed such issues down considerably, along with the use of cameras. the design you speak of is a "podular" design, which is what I worked in as a Corrections deputy. The block is shaped like a "Q" with the control bubble sticking into the center, which controls the cell doors and block access doors. common areas are in the middle of the circle and there are no blind spots, and are never far away fron the officers gaze. Physical plant design is very important in corrections management now.

CC

[wideminded]

prison design has taken leaps and bounds in the last 20 years

Strangely enough a similar round prison design called the "panopticon" was proposed in 1791 by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham.