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Designing for Prison, 2: Furniture and Fixtures

Anti-suicide clothing hooks, unbreakable mirrors and more

By Rain Noe - February 5, 2021

in Object Culture

Fascinated by yesterday's look at objects designed for prisons, I started looking at furniture and fixtures in the category. Whereas the objects must be designed with anti-smuggling features, furniture and fixtures must focus on anti-harm while fulfilling their original function.

Desk with Swing-Arm Stool

Nothing on this 10-gauge steel desk can be removed and weaponized, and it eliminates the need for a loose chair or stool (which could easily be wielded as a weapon or broken down into smaller implements). The desk has two open storage shelves, a bar on the side to hang a towel, and a permanently attached swivel stool.

Unbreakable Mirrors

These have no glass that can be shattered to weaponize the shards. They're made from polished stainless steel.

Wall-Mount Table or Seat

Pure form-follows-function, with a bit of flexibility. These 7-gauge steel surfaces can be either seats or tables, depending on what height you mount it at.

Overflow Bunks

These 16-gauge steel cots are designed to stack, as they're supposed to live in storage for most of the time. Thus it takes up only six feet of vertical space to stack 15 of these.

Storage Shelf with Collapsible Hooks

This storage shelf features unusual-looking hooks that are shielded on the side, like those NASA buttons. Why? You'll see by the next item on the list.

Collapsible Clothing Hooks

These hooks, like the ones above, are designed to collapse when a certain amount of weight (generally 8-30 pounds, they're adjustable during installation) are placed on them--so that prisoners cannot intentionally choke themselves if they get their hands on anything ropelike.

Ball and Socket Collapsible Hooks

Same idea as the above, but with a ball and socket design.

Collapsible Shower Curtain Rod

Since a metal tube would be a no-go, this "lightweight polyethylene foam rod is strong enough to support the shower curtain, but will collapse under an increased load, preventing its use for suicidal purposes." It attaches to the wall via hook-and-loop, which also makes it impossible to hang yourself from.

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Up next, we'll look at an unusual prison object that's becoming obsolete.

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Comments

Sean Thackston

3 years ago

Z

1Z

Reply

It's sad that so much design consideration, with respect to the physical environment, is given to preventing suicide. Some of that energy should be put into making the experience less hostile so the inmates aren't continuously looking for their final escape.

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- Nathan D.
  
  Sean Thackston
  
  3 years ago
  
  Z
  
  Z
  
  Reply
  
  Yeah, let's address the prison-industrial complex with some yoga classes and functional teas. Maybe give them some engaging popup spaces to Instagram in.
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  - Sean Thackston
    
    Nathan D.
    
    3 years ago
    
    Z
    
    Z
    
    You joke Nathan, but if we're talking about rehabilitation and reintegration, then the US system of incarceration is woefully misguided.
    
    https://www.aclu.org/other/aclu-policy-priorities-prison-reform
    
    Check out Points 2 and 3.
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