Tarrant County Corrections Center facts for kids
The Tarrant County Corrections Center (TCCC) is a building in Downtown Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It's a place where people are held if they are waiting for their court date, moving to another facility, or serving short sentences. Both male and female adults stay here. The building was finished in 1990. It became well-known in 2000 because a special program there was found to be unfair. The TCCC is about 203 feet tall. This makes it one of the tallest buildings in Fort Worth. It is also the biggest building of its kind in the city.
History of the Corrections Center
The Tarrant County Corrections Center was built in 1990. It was needed because other prisons nearby were too full. Finishing the building took longer than planned. This was mostly due to money problems. When it opened, it was the first jail in Texas to use a "direct-supervision" method. This means staff can see inmates directly all the time.
More than 1,440 people were moved to the new center. This included women, from other crowded places. For its first few years, the center was very well-run. The person in charge said there was no damage or fights. Only $50 was spent on repairs in the first year. This was for two broken windows. The first big problem happened in 2005. An inmate used a homemade tool to attack two guards. Around 2010, the center started getting too crowded again. So, Fort Worth built a new jail, the Lon Evans Corrections Center. This new center helps with more serious cases.
A Special Program: The Chaplain's Education Unit
The Chaplain's Education Unit (CEU) was a special learning program. It started at the center in 1992. First, it was for men, and then a women's part opened in 1993. People sometimes called it the "God Pod." The county sheriff and the prison chaplain started this program. Volunteers helped to run it.
The program taught prisoners about Christian beliefs. It was based on ideas the sheriff and chaplain believed were important. Up to 48 prisoners could join at one time. They stayed in a special area for 120 days. In 2000, some former prisoners and a local person sued the center. They said the program was unfair because it only taught Christian ideas. In 2001, a court decided the program was against the rules of fairness. So, it was closed down.
Building Features
The Corrections Center was designed by HOK Architects. It is 203 feet tall and has thirteen floors. This makes it one of only 21 buildings in Fort Worth over 200 feet tall. The building has a modern design. It uses light-colored bricks and stone for decoration.
There are four jail areas, called "pods," at each corner of the building. There's also an outdoor area for recreation. The center is on Lamar Street, right in the middle of Downtown Fort Worth. Some people have worried about its location being so central. The center is connected to the Lon Evans center. They have a walkway on the fourth floor and a tunnel.
