The rated capacity of a jail is the maximum number of prisoners or beds accommodated. The design and operational capacity of the prison are responsible for catering to the prisoners.
It refers to the number of prisoners adjusted and the maximum number of persons who can live on jail premises.
Operational Capacity
The number of beds installed in a facility depends on the rating officials while designing an operational assessment of the attributable to this. According to Harrison and Karberg, in 2003, only in the United States jails inserted 22,572 beds to the entire jail capacity to house more prisoners.
Operational capacity is the maximum number of prisoners a prison can safely hold. Many factors determine how many persons can fit in the building, like the facilities’ capacity. The architectural design of the building, the number of emergency exits, and the number of employees that run the institution.
Operational capability is vital regarding the safety of the prisoners and others in the jail building to avoid structural damage or accidents.
The number of people a jail is designed to hold defines its design capacity. Back when these jails were built, their very design revealed the level of security the facility needed.
Security of Prison
For instance, what will be the security level of the prison?
Will it hold the less violent short-term prisoners that need the minimum level of security? Or will the prison be medium security with more aggressive criminals who will be imprisoned for nearly twenty years or more?
Or should it be a Maximum Security Prison that will hold the most aggressive prisoners? Who will be serving life sentences or waiting for execution?
Prison overcrowding
Prison overcrowding needs specific measures to reduce crime and start public awareness initiatives.
Overcrowding needs to be reduced if a few people move to prison for drug crime cases.
Drug offenders should receive short sentences. Nonetheless, judges should provide a greater level of discretion while making sentencing.
If prisoners are exhibiting good behavior, they should be rewarded with credit. Such measures will reduce crime and encourage offenders to adopt a balanced lifestyle.