“Pack 'em, rack 'em and stack 'em”: The appropriateness of the use and reuse of shipping containers for prison accommodation

Main Article Content

Elizabeth Maree Grant

Abstract

Shipping containers are gaining increasing recognition for their apparent durability, adaptability, light weight, ‘low cost' and ease of stacking, spurring a  trend that has resulted in shipping container sculpture, homes, housing, hotels, and museums. The use of prefabricated, pre-manufactured and prototype building methods for prison construction has grown considerably as some jurisdictions attempt to deal with the construction of prisons with speed and economy. In the last three years, shipping containers have been used in the prison sector as a way of managing burgeoning prison populations. Recent prison developments in both Australia and New Zealand where shipping containers have been employed for prisoner housing are of considerable interest. In this article, the financial, functional, structural, technical, environmental and architectonic impacts of this approach are discussed.

Article Details

How to Cite
Grant, E. M. (2013). “Pack ’em, rack ’em and stack ’em”: The appropriateness of the use and reuse of shipping containers for prison accommodation. Construction Economics and Building, 13(2), 35-44. https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v13i2.3269
Section
Articles (Peer reviewed)
Author Biography

Elizabeth Maree Grant, The University of Adelaide

Senior LecturerAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: Wilto YerloSenior Research FellowCentre for Housing and Urban Research and PlanningThe University of Adelaide

References

Brandt K (2011) Plugging In: Reinterpreting the Traditional Housing Archetype within a Community using Shipping Containers (Master of Science Dissertation) The University of North Carolina.
Chapa J (2007) "Prefab Friday: Container City in London" Inhabitat 11th June 2007.
Conover T (2003) "In the Land of Guantánamo" New York Times Magazine June 29, 2003.
Corcoran E (2011) “Obama's Failed Attempt to Close Gitmo: Why Executive Orders Can't Bring About Systemic Change” University of New Hampshire Law Review Vol 9, No 2 pp. 207-235
Crook J (2009) "Contemporary Practice of the United Stated Relating to International Law: General International and U.S. Foreign Relations Law: President Obama Orders Closure of Guantanamo Detention Facilities; Obstacles Remain" American Journal of International Law Vol 103 No 2 pp. 325-331
CS Shipping Containers (2012) "Shipping Containers and Container Conversions – 5 Unusual Requests." Retrieved 1st August, 2012, from http://www.csshippingcontainers.co.uk/shipping-container-conversions/shipping-containers-and-container-conversions-5-unusual-requests.
Department for Correctional Services, South Australia (2011) "Modular Accommodation Unveiled At Cadell Training Centre" Corrections Newsletter June 2011.
Department of Correctional Services, South Australia (2012) Mount Gambier Prison Expansion Department for Correctional Services Webpage Retrieved 1st August 2012, from http://www.corrections.sa.gov.au/dcs-projects/mgp-expansion.
Department of Corrections, New Zealand (2009) Media Release: New container unit to deliver much needed beds Retrieved 13th July, 2012, from http://www.corrections.govt.nz/news-and-publications/media-releases/2010-media-releases/container_cells_open_for_business_at_rimutaka.html.
Department of Corrections, New Zealand (2010) Annual Report 2009-10 Wellington, Department of Corrections, New Zealand.
Department of Corrections, New Zealand (2012) Rimutaka Prison Retrieved 20th July, 2012, from http://www.corrections.govt.nz/utility-navigation/find-a-facility-or-site/find_a_corrections_facility/rimutaka_prison.html.
Forsythe B (2004) "Loneliness and Cellular Confinement in English Prisons 1878-1921." British Journal of Criminology Vol 44 No 5 pp. 759-770
Gadon L, L Johnstone, et al. (2006) "Situational variables and institutional violence: a systematic review of the literature" Clinical Psychology Review Vol 26 No 5 pp. 515-534.
Global Security (2011) Military Guantanamo Bay - Camp Delta Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/guantanamo-bay_delta.htm.
Gower P (2010) “A night in shipping container prison” New Zealand News, 2nd June 2010.
Grant, E, A, Hansen and T. Williamson (2012) ‘Design issues for prisoner health: Thermal conditions in Australian custodial environments’ World Health Design Vol 5 No 3 pp. 80–85.
Grant E (2008) Towards safer and more congruent prison environments for male aboriginal prisoners: a South Australian study (PhD Thesis) School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, The University of Adelaide.
Grant E (2009) Report on 2008 Churchill Fellowship to investigate correctional facilities for Indigenous prisoners New Zealand, Canada & Denmark. Churchill Fellowship Trust, Canberra.
Harding R (1987) "Prison overcrowding: Correctional policies and political constraints." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology Vol 20 No 1 pp. 16-32.
Informa Group (2012) Containerisation International Yearbook, London, Informa Group.
Joint Task Force Guantánamo and Department of Defense US Government (2003) Camp Delta Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Guantánamo Bay, Department of Defense, US Government.
Kalkin A and W McLean (2008) Quik build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture London, Bibliotheque McLean.
Keller B (1993) ‘A South African Mall that Black know-how built’ The New York Times, 12th September 1993, pp. 3.
Kenny S (2003) ‘The Hicks Trial’ in Conference Proceedings from the National Forum On The War on Terrorism and The Rule Of Law, NSW Parliament House, 10th November 2003.
Le Grand C (1999) ‘Jail Crush Spills to Sea Containers’ The Australian, Sydney 11th February, 1999, pp. 6
Levinson M (2006) The Box: How the shipping container made the world smaller and the world economy bigger Princeton, Princeton University Press.
Meadows D and Club of Rome (1972) The Limits to Growth; a report for the Club of Rome's project on the predicament of mankind New York, Universe Books.
Mendelson S and CSIS Working Group on Guantánamo and Detention Policy (2008) Closing Guantánamo: From Bumper Sticker to Blueprint; A Report of the CSIS Human Rights and Security Initative and the Working Group on Guantánamo and Detention Policy. Washington, Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Muller G (1999) Intermodal Freight Transportation Washington, Eno Transportation Foundation Inc.
Notteboom T and J Rodrigue (2008) "Containerisation, Box Logistics and Global Supply Chains: The Integration of Ports and Liner Shipping Networks." Maritime Economics and Logistics Vol 10 No 1-2 pp 152–174.
Rawlinsons (2010) Rimutaka Container Prison Retrieved 17th July, 2012, from http://www.rawlinsons.co.nz/our-projects/terrace-downs-high-country-resort-2/).
Rosenberg C (2004) ‘Pentagon plans for long-term detention at Guantánamo’ Seattle Times 10th December 2004.
Sawyers P (2011) Intermodal Shipping Container Small Steel Buildings Kentucky, Paul Sawyers.
Smith J (2005) Shipping Containers as Building Components Department of Built Environment, University of Brighton.
Spurgeon K, J Prozzi, et al. (2003) The Secret Life of the Container: Evidence from Texas. Texas, Transportation Research Board.
Theo N and R Jean-Paul (2008) “Containerisation, Box Logistics and Global Supply Chains: The Integration of Ports and Liner Shipping Networks” Maritime Economics and Logistics Vol 10 pp. 152–174.
Tucker S, P Roberts and A Zinni (2010) The Encyclopaedia of Middle East Wars: the United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO.
Urban Space Management Ltd (2012) Container City Retrieved 1st August, 2012, from http://www.containercity.com/home.html.
Wheeland M (2010) “A (Green) Prison Made of Shipping Containers” GreenBiz
Wills D (2011) Shipping containers for prisoners at Mt Gambier Prison AdelaideNow, Adelaide.
Winter C (2011) ‘Union to put cell plan back in its box’ ABC News 4th August 2011
Wright K and L Goodstein (1991) Correctional Environments in J Thompson and L Mays (eds) American Jails: Public Policy Issues, New York, Plenum Press, pp 181-194.