Kern County Superior Courts
Bakersfield, CA

The Kern County Superior Courts Building is a nine-story structure that was built in 1954. The facility contains county offices, a multi-level county jail, 14 courtrooms, chambers, and below ground parking arrangements for the Superior Court Judges.

This project involved an analysis of the threat and vulnerability to attack by prisoners before the court, their families, and malevolent forces including gang associates of the prisoner at the dock, and/or individuals and gangs antagonistic to the prisoner.

SBD provided a conceptual plan to provide high security measures to reduce or eliminate the opportunity for attacks upon the judges, bailiffs, and other court personnel, as well as public citizens.

Of Special Interest

The conceptual plan included the selection of optional layouts provided by the architect of the proposed sally ports and enclosed facilities for delivery of prisoners from outlying facilities, including prison inmates from the State's Tehachapi men's prison.