A Clean Slate: How Louisiana Turned Disaster into a Model for Correctional Design

After the 2016 flood destroyed the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW), the state seized the opportunity to rethink correctional design. Instead of renovating, officials relocated the campus to higher ground and built Louisiana’s first new women’s facility in 35 years. The new 300,000-square-foot complex, managed by Caddell Construction and Arkel Constructors with design by Grace Design Studios, accommodates nearly 1,000 women and includes administration, medical and mental health centers, dormitories, education and vocational spaces, a gym, kitchen, postpartum building, and more.

The design emphasizes rehabilitation, safety, and reentry, featuring normalized, softer environments, residential-style housing neighborhoods, and a central green space. Noise control and visibility improvements enhance safety and comfort. Education and vocational programs, counseling, and reentry initiatives aim to reduce recidivism and support personal growth. The project reflects modern correctional philosophies, prioritizing dignity, calm, and community while meeting stringent floodplain and security requirements.

Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women (LCIW) was featured as Facility of the Month in the Correctional News November-December 2025 issue.