It's larger, has better facilities and aesthetics, and offers more services...but it remains a jail, and it will soon be ready to hold DeKalb County's most dangerous criminals.
The nearly-completed county jail will be ready for use in May, with open houses and tours on the 17th, 19th and 20th of the month. Joyce Klein, head of the corrections department for the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, says the new design is meant not only to better house the current population of inmates...but is meant to encompass expansion and modifications in the years to come.
The new jail has more cells for various types of inmates...ranging from minor offenders being held overnight, to those with psychological issues or under suicide threat who need constant monitoring. The cells for more difficult inmates are designed to be accessible, safer and easier to view for corrections officers.
More up-to-date design elements including an increase in outside lighting, and color-coding for the various portions of the jail. And there are larger kitchens for food preparation and service (provided by VAC), as well as up-to-date medical and dental facilities -- which reduce the need to take inmates out of the jail, thus reducing the risks involved with doing so.