The dedication and opening of a new courthouse is always an exciting and monumental event, filled with ceremony, speakers, and celebration. It’s also exceedingly rare. The average courthouse in the U.S. is over 50 years old, and funding for new courthouse construction, especially within the past decade during the economic slowdown, is scarce. While most courthouses are impressive structures, how well the building functions for its occupants and mission may not be as sound.
Despite well-conceived designs, changes in technology, security requirements, personnel, workload, and initiatives all take their toll. Building managers can often adapt their courthouse to accommodate these needs. But in countless other instances, courthouse occupants and their functions suffer from outdated or under-performing facilities.
Can An Older Courthouse Measure Up?
Since 1988, it’s been our mission to evaluate courthouses, identify problems, and recommend solutions. To do this, we developed performance metrics covering five areas: court functionality, security, building condition, space standards, and technology.
We have applied these performance metrics to nearly 1,000 federal, state, and local court facilities in every state. The following infographic presents the top space concerns in courthouses for each of the five assessment areas.
If your courthouse is overcrowded, has security compromises, and needs more adequate building systems and needed technology, there are others. Based on our experience, many courthouses are in a state of disrepair and need space solutions. This infographic will highlight the critical needs of courthouses so that these essential buildings can continue to effectively welcome the public, provide a secure environment, and support the administration of justice.
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How to fit a new trial courtroom into your existing courthouse. Click on the image to download!
