7 Must-Have Attributes in Correctional Facility Property Boxes
It’s an unfortunate reality, but one that correctional workers have to deal with on a daily basis: Every single inch and every single product in a jail, prison or other detention center must be secure and not pose any kind of threat to the inmates housed there.
That’s why it’s important to buy products – including fixtures and furniture – that are highly durable and made especially for these constant-use and demanding environments where certain segments of the population look for opportunities to make weapons out of the most common of items.
In-cell property storage containers are no exception. A staple in nearly every correctional facility, these boxes are used for inmate possessions and can pose serious security threats if not manufactured for the strain they are placed under. Additionally, when buying inferior products, facilities face financial burdens once they have to replace boxes that easily break down or become compromised.
For these reasons, consider the following attributes before purchasing property boxes for your correction environment.
Durable, Tested and Safe
Durability is an obvious quality that correctional facilities need in all of their products. Constant use and inmate tampering can be taxing on furniture. But how do you know it’s durable and can stand up to these challenges?
We recommend purchasing property boxes that are one-piece, injection molded products that are manufactured with a specially formulated plastic that makes the box less rigid. Using this material and this process gives the box a little “flex,” making it impact resistant and harder to break and make into a shank or weapon.
Additionally, make sure your property boxes are flame resistant and pass the California Technical Bulletin 133 Flammability Test. This helps fight against cigarette and lighter burns, and also will assist in containing a fire in case one starts in your facility.
Lastly, be sure to purchase boxes with rounded edges for safety and that are made of non-porous materials which make the box easy to clean and maintenance free.
Stackable, Locking Mechanism
Many prisons in the United States are quite crowded, making each and every inch of real estate valuable. If you need to store property boxes that are not currently in use, we recommend purchasing boxes that can be stacked in order to save on space. Norix Furniture’s Citadel box is wider at the top than at the bottom, so one can nest inside the other to conserve space when stacked and stored.
Additionally, Citadel comes with a hasp for locking with a pad or combination lock. This helps prevent theft in prisons since each inmate will have their own lock to keep their property out of the hands of others.
GREEGUARD Certified, Recyclable
And with all purchases, it’s always wise to be nice to Mother Nature and buy products that are recyclable and GREENGUARD certified. Recognized throughout the world, UL Environment’s GREENGUARD Certification recognizes products with low chemical emissions, which can contribute to healthier indoor environments.
Representative samples of products that have achieved certifications through this program have been tested and certified to meet some of the world’s most rigorous, third-party chemical emissions standards—helping reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure.
Additionally, Sarah Wilson, Marketing Manager for UL Environment’s Furniture business division, says “GREENGUARD Gold certified products can contribute up to three points for furniture and furnishings within LEED version 4, as well as up to four points within LEED v3. And, all GREENGUARD Certified products have publically accessible certificates that make submittal for LEED projects easy.”
In addition to making sure your products contribute to healthy environments, make sure to buy property boxes that are made of durable plastic or other materials that can be recycled if the box breaks or is compromised due to constant use.
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