Policy Research Shop Support for the Policy Research Shop is provided by the Ford Foundation and by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education,

Policy Research Shop

Support for the Policy Research Shop is provided by the Ford Foundation and by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education.


Grafton County Correctional Facility

An Analysis of Options for the Old Grafton County Jail

The contents of this report were developed under grant P116B100070 from the U.S. Department of Education. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of

Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

By: Richard D’Amato, Marissa Greco, and Michael Sanchez


GoalTo provide a comprehensive

explanation of viable alternatives Grafton County has for dealing with its currently outdated jail. Benefits and drawbacks are considered for

each alternative.


Case Studies• Demolish existing facility• Renovate facility for other use• Use facility for its historic value


Case StudiesDemolish Existing Facility

• Carroll County, NH• Knox County, ME


Case StudiesRenovate Facility For Other Use

• Cheshire County, NH• Merrimack County, NH• Somerset County, ME• York County, ME• Addison County, VT• Essex County, VT• Windsor County VY


Case StudiesUse Facility For Its Historic Value

• Hancock County, ME• Lincoln County, ME• York County ME


Options for Grafton County• Old jail section:

– Costs of demolition• New jail section

– Juvenile corrections/Weekenders facility– Community outreach center– Farm-to-School Pilot Program– Alternative energy research plant– Complete overhaul– Historical preservation– Level the entire facility


Old jail section• Oldest part of jail built in 1897• Run-down, dilapidated structure• Steel piping runs vertically through center of

structure, renovation costly• Cost of demolition: $125,640


New Jail Section• Cost of demolition: $128,025• Costs of basic renovation: $286,826

– Only includes costs of bringing building up to code (sprinklers, fire alarms, roof repair, etc.)


Juvenile Corrections/Weekenders Facility

• Related purpose, minimal renovation costs• New Hampshire currently only has one

juvenile corrections facility• Grafton County has no separate facility for

“weekenders”• Relatively cheaper than other options, as

infrastructure does not need to be changed


Community Outreach Center• Large open spaces can be used as classrooms,

group counseling sessions, youth play areas• Renovation costs relatively low, structure

easily adaptable for use as center• Significant cost is cost of running center


Farm-to-School Pilot Program• Connects the jail building to the local farmland• Educational program that benefits local

farmers as well as members of community• Produce sales, agricultural programs for

farmers• Potentially cost-neutral after renovations


Alternative Energy Research• Growing trend in sustainable renewable

energy in US• New technologies, high skilled jobs,

educational tools• Long-term technological benefits• Cost Neutral?


Complete Overhaul• Total renovation of the structure into

something completely new• Can be done by the County or sold to private

organization• Some ideas: restaurant, hotel, gym• Costs uncertain


Historical Preservation• Preserve just the old section, tear down

newer section, and turn old section into historical monument

• More popular during times of government surpluses, economic growth

• Relatively cheap renovation costs


Level the Entire Facility

• Total cost, including reseeding: $403,932• No recurring costs• No future benefits to the community


Conclusion• Find an alternative that will benefit the

community but that is also reasonably cost effective and makes responsible, beneficial use of the county’s taxpayers dollars– Consider benefits and drawbacks of previous

correctional facility renovations– Consider which alternatives are within reason for

Grafton County Correctional Facility

Policy Research Shop Support for the Policy Research Shop is provided by the Ford Foundation and by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education,

Documents

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entire facility slide

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