Passaic County Jail  

The Passaic County Jail located in New Jersey was built in 1957. The jail was meant to house only 227 prisoners; however, the prisoner population has grown to more than 275 prisoners. The overcrowding seems to persist even with a new addition added in 1983 when a fourth floor was built. The fourth floor added 100 new prisoner cells and is electronically more advanced than its older parent building.

In less than one year, 200 more prisoners were housed on the fourth floor of the Passaic County Jail in New Jersey. An unbelievable 900 prisoners were housed in a facility meant for 227 prisoners which led to the building of another addition to the jail in 1986. Again, the new addition was meant to house only 100 prisoners; however, more than 1200 prisoners were housed in the Passaic County Jail soon after the new addition in 1986.

The surge in prisoner population led to the construction in 1990 of a three floor section called the Grand Street. The new section held 348 beds and an impressive rooftop gym. The Grand Street section of the Passaic Jail in New Jersey is completely different in design than the rest of the jail. Each floor has an officer's station that is protected by bullet proof glass centered in the middle of all the day rooms. The officers are thus able to view all prisoners in the day room which allows for fewer officers needed for security reasons in the day rooms.