New Virginia Detention Center to Emphasize Rehabilitation

By CN Staff

MARTINSVILLE, Va.—The Henry County Adult Detention Center is a new $70 million facility in Martinsville designed to provide inmates with more resources than ever before to aid in their rehabilitation. Among the first in the state to have a wing dedicated to mental health services, the facility supports the county’s effort to reduce recidivism by providing counseling, education programs, and job skills.

The venue was designed by Moseley Architects, with English Construction Company serving as the general contractor. Sekiv Solutions provided the civil engineering work on the project.

Formerly home to a DuPont manufacturing plant, the factory’s remaining concrete slab was demolished, crushed into aggregate, and used to support the foundation, thereby diverting debris from a landfill and saving $2.8 million. The center neighbors training academies for police, EMS, and criminal justice, all forming a public safety campus that consolidates several services in one central location.

Primary building materials include brick masonry with metal wall panels and glass curtain walls. The incorporation of modular steel cells helped expedite construction. Over 66% more efficient than a traditional plumbing system, the vacuum plumbing system will conserve more than 3.8 million gallons each year.

The public lobby features more video visitation booths than in prior facilities, expanding the capacity for inmates to see loved ones. The building includes administration spaces with a general training room, a training room for defense tactics, booking and intake, a warehouse with a loading dock, and a vehicular sallyport. Classrooms will accommodate educational programs and certifications through Patrick & Henry Community College. The commercial kitchen is fully equipped to support a culinary arts program for inmates interested in learning.

The 158,000-square-foot facility houses 400 beds with a core capacity for 600 occupants. Male housing includes two 48-bed minimum-security dormitories, four 20-bed medium-security units with single cells, a 48-bed medium-security unit with double cells, two 16-bed maximum-security units, two 10-bed special purpose units, and two 16-bed mental health units. Housing for females encompasses three 16-bed medium-security units, a 24-bed dormitory, and a 10-bed special purpose unit. Community custody housing includes 32 minimum-security beds for males and eight minimum-security beds for females.

The mental health wing comprises exam rooms for routine care, evaluation, and emergency treatment; offices for Piedmont Community Services counselors; high-density records storage; a lab; and a pharmacy. Infrastructure for general health services includes a dental operatory and X-ray room. Negative-pressure holding cells and shower areas allow for the separation of inmates who may have contagious illnesses. These facilities, combined with a nurse on duty 24/7 and regularly scheduled medical staff hours, will reduce the costs of hospital visits and improve the care of inmates.