On a hell-hot August Thursday, New Orleans Sheriff Marlin Gusman invited the press and others to tour the skeleton of his new jail. The unfinished jail – which boasts room for more than 1,200 possible inmates – has merely been “topped off,” meaning it’s reached its maximum height.

Ground was broken on the project in February 2011, and Gusman hopes to see it completed by February 2014. The $145 million facility, funded by FEMA to replace Katrina-damaged jails, will consolidate 11 of the city’s separate criminal justice buildings into one, all-inclusive building. “Less handoffs [between facilities] creates less opportunity for problems,” said Gusman while leading a tour of one “pod” of 30 cells, a common area, and a small basketball court.

Proceeding down into the tomblike cement structure, Gusman spoke of its intake and processing technologies, its courtroom, video visitation center, electronic kiosks where inmates can work on their court cases, and metal detectors that will scan prisoners and employees alike. New generators will help thwart power issues that have in the past made hurricane evacuations difficult. CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE at Louisiana Weekly…

Or just watch this amazingly entertaining video of Orleans Parish Prison inmates partying hard with lots of drugs and guns…