New prison idea ‘Sprung’ on Lafourche Council

Officials in Lafourche Parish may have found a way to solve its prison-overcrowding problem without dropping several millions of dollars on building a new facility.

The solution comes from the ironically named company, Sprung, and its Sprung Instant Structures.

The structures resemble domed circus tents. Their skeletons are made of aluminum and their outsides are covered with a “coated architectural membrane.” Inside, up to eight inches of Johns Manville Formaldehyde Free Fiberglass Blanket insulate the structure.

The membrane can be coated with either polyurethane or Dupont Tedlar for extra durability and weather resistance.

And the cost for implementing such a structure in Lafourche to house over 200 prisoners runs $4.5 to $5 million. These figures include everything, from the cost of the foundation and toilets to the interior fencing and guard tower.

Lafourche Parish Director of Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Brennan Matherne presented the unusual prison structure idea to the Lafourche Parish council at its Sept. 25 meeting.

His presentation called for the interior to have four sections. Three would be dedicated for normal prisoners. The fourth would go to the trusties.

And part of the nearly $5 million cost would allow for a much smaller Sprung structure to be set up to act as an administrative office for the new prison. This new structure would replace the trailer, which is normally used, and would provide much more room.

Matherne also roughly estimated the actual cost of just the jail structure, the aluminum, fabric and insulation to run less than $100,000.

Hardened criminals, of course, would not be housed in the structure. The structure would be for minimum security prisoners.

Matherne believes the whole thing could be built and running within eight to 10 months after it gets approval from voters and has funding.

He said he hopes to put the project before the public within the next three months.

“I think having a facility like this opens a lot of doors for us,” said Matherne.

The structure could potentially provide a little more housing for prisoners than the parish actually needs, meaning the parish could be paid to house prisoners from other parishes.

Currently, the parish does just the opposite to keep up with its prisoner population.

Matherne thinks that with the money saved from not having to pay other parishes to house Lafourche’s prisoners, as well as the transportation costs, the project could pay for itself.

Sprung structures have been successfully employed around the country for correctional purposes.

Canyon County Sheriff Cpt. Robert Munsey from Caldwell, Idaho, spoke about the county’s Sprung prison, which it has had for more than two years.

He said they utilize the domed fabric building for their work release program.

And inside, they have an open, dormitory style set up with rows of bunk beds and a couple of elevated guard towers.

Their prison houses 208 beds.

Munsey said the fabric structure with its aluminum frame has held up really well with little to no maintenance cost.

He also said it is remarkably easy to heat and cool. He estimated their facility only costs them $900 a month in the winter to heat with the structure’s eight-inch thick interior insulation.

“It’s been very easy to heat and to cool. We’ve had no maintenance issues with it,” said Munsey.

And he said it only costs them about $1.2 million for everything, the cement foundation, the toilets, the water sprinklers and other additions.

The openness of the Canyon County facility also has not contributed to any real problems.

Munsey recounted just one incident where an inmate drew on one of the walls and poked a hole, which he said, was easy to patch.

A fringe benefit of sorts for the prisoners in the Canyon County jail is the fact the interior surface is a reflective white, making it a decent projection screen.

The Canyon County jail actually offers three separate projectors broadcasting TV channels prisoners can watch. And if they are willing to pony up, they can purchase a pair of wireless headphones to listen to the broadcasts.

The jail also features pay washers and dryers for prisoners to do their work clothes. The jail only does the prison uniforms.

Munsey explained this prison, however, is for the absolute minimum level of security, which makes it perfect for its work release prisoner program, where prisoners actually go to work during the day and stay in jail overnight.

Munsey also said the set-up of just the fabric and aluminum frame took about a week.