Capacity: 2000
Client: Florida Department of Management Services (FL DMS)
Accreditations: American Correctional Association (ACA)
On July 11, 2008, the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) issued a competitive procurement for the design, construction, and operation of a new correctional facility to house medium and close-custody offenders. The Florida DMS announced its intent to award the contract to The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO) on October 21, 2008. Site development and construction began November 1, 2008 and was completed during the summer of 2010.
The facility provides academic and vocational programs as well as medical care, substance abuse programs, counseling, and life skills training opportunities.
The design includes housing, administration, programming space, and support services. The facility is designed in a campus layout. Each housing building incorporates therapeutic living communities with medical, multipurpose, group and individual counseling rooms and recreation areas. The Blackwater River Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility was designed and constructed to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements. The facility achieved Gold Certification from the Council in recognition of its sustainable design.
The facility achieved initial accreditation through the American Correctional Association in 2012 and reaccreditation in 2015 and 2018 with a score of 100%.