Davis County Prepares to Open New Jail

FARMINGTON, Utah — A new $22 million jail in Davis County is preparing to open, following a quick construction process that included prefabricated cell modules.

The jail includes 60 prefabricated cell modules, each featuring two bunks and a wall-attached desk and toilet, that were shipped from Atlanta to Utah by train. The 13-foot by 7-foot cells delivered to the construction site were assembled in one week.

The 400-bed jail is set to open in spring 2007, and recently hosted a sleepover so taxpayers could see how their money was spent on the project. Approximately 120 people from the local community slept in the facility.

The jail was designed to reduce prison personnel and increase security, saving the county money in operational costs. There are three elevated control rooms located central to housing units. A video visitation systems allows for inmates visits.

Each unit is self-contained and configured so that inmates have no reason to leave them: meals will be brought in, doctors will make regular visits to examination rooms located in each unit, and each section features an exercise yard. Some units for low-risk inmates are dormitories without cells.

The facility will be manned by 20 employees who are currently in training and 60 additional employees who will be hired as the facility’s opening date approaches.

Voter-approved bonds funded the project, and a tax increase that was recently approved by the Davis County Commission to pay for operational costs.

Layton Construction of Sandy, Utah, was the general contractor for the project and EDA Architects of Salt Lake City provided architectural services.

Officials expect the new jail to meet inmate population growth until 2016. The existing jail, built in 1991, will remain operational, although its kitchen has been converted into a laundry and the intake area.