Architecture and design play a pivotal role in U.S. criminal justice reform. As momentum builds to end mass incarceration, some cities and architecture firms believe that building âmore humaneâ prisons and jails will help solve key parts of the nationâs incarceration problem. Cities such as San Diego; San Mateo, California; Birmingham, Alabama; Denver; Salt Lake City; and Nashville are investing hundreds of millions of dollars into building new correctional facilities boasting sunlight, air, greenery, and more programming space. Earlier this year in New Orleans, a federal judge ruled that new construction on a city jail will resume, despite public outcry that the new facility will only add more prisoners and that many prisoners are mentally ill and should be treated in the community, not in jail.