Upon visiting Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, I realized that some of the best security tips for hostels can be taken directly from prisons. Eastern State Penitentiary boasts the world's first penitentiary, and its facility has served as an inspiration for some of the greatest prisons today. Here are the reasons why you should consider them too:
Big Brother is Your Friend
Eastern State is too old for this, but modern prisons have cameras everywhere. A video surveillance system (CCTV) is great for recording common areas. Guests shouldn't be too concerned unless the cameras are in areas where privacy is assumed (dorms, private rooms, & bathrooms). Try to cover as much common area as possible, including hallways, to see who is entering rooms and when. If there is a major security issue, the CCTV can help your staff determine what exactly went down, who is to blame, and even provide evidence to authorities if needed. CCTV can assist with liability issues, but it should always serve as a backup to solid security already in place. A standard rule is that a CCTV system only helps “after the fact,” while proper staff surveillance prevents issues from occurring in the first place. A good CCTV system is costly, and training staff to use it can be challenging. There should always be one member on duty who is familiar with it because the faster the video can be reviewed, the better the chances of resolving the issue.
[pullquote]Hostel guests sacrifice privacy for a cheaper night’s sleep and/or a more social experience. They should not feel as if they are sacrificing security too.[/pullquote]
Bottleneck Flow Control
Having as few entry and exit points as possible, while allowing staff to keep an eye on these points, really helps track who is coming and going. If the only entrance/exit is viewable by the reception staff, the security factor is very high. In most countries, you will need more than one point of egress to be up to code. You can achieve this by using alarms for other exits to be “Emergency Only,” with fines or eviction for anyone going through that door or window who isn't authorized.
Central Monitoring
Many prisons, like Eastern State Penitentiary, have a central monitoring area where the guards can easily see much of what is going on from one great viewpoint. A properly positioned reception desk not only oversees the entry but also controls access to the hallways, the kitchen, and the common areas. This is why open floor plans are hugely popular in hostels. The reception desk doesn’t need to be placed right in the center of the building, like in these prisons. It can be anywhere. The center of a hostel refers more to where the most traffic occurs, where the guests frequent the most. Naturally, the entrance is a hotspot, but so are the kitchen, common area, game room, and/or courtyard. A great central reception desk is not foolproof. Staff still must do routine checks around the facilities to ensure security.
Multi-Level Access
Allowing everyone to have access to everywhere is a problem waiting to happen. Prisons limit a person’s access to certain areas to prevent those who do not belong from entering. Think of this as an added layer of protection. If you break your dorm rooms down into zones and put in extra doors, you can do just that and decrease the chances of a security flaw. Many buildings naturally implement this. Each building, floor, or wing can serve as a zone. A person staying on the 3rd floor cannot access the hallways leading to dorms on other floors. A proper key card system can do all this, but there are alternatives if key cards aren’t an option. This really only applies to large hostels.
Lockdown Ability
Prisons have a super-fast lockdown ability to prevent bad situations from escalating. Hostels have a different reason for lockdowns, which is to limit access to certain areas at specific times. This can control guest behavior and reduce unwanted clutter, damage, and noise from those areas. For example, locking the kitchen from 12 AM to 5 AM can limit the possibility of a huge mess, guests accidentally eating the wrong food, or, my personal favorite, a kitchen fire at night caused by a drunk chef. Locking the courtyard at 10 PM can help limit noise complaints from neighbors. A good guest will understand the reasoning behind these rules, and it always helps to have a 24-hour reception that is willing to make exceptions.
Visitation Policies
Prisons have a strict procedure when it comes to visitors. They can only visit at certain times and be in designated places. This is something that shouldn't be easily overlooked. Security is most vulnerable at night when the staff-to-guest ratio is lower and guests are sleeping. Therefore, it would be wise to only allow hostel guests in the building after a certain time. Some hostels even enforce a policy of checking the names off a list as guests enter throughout the night. Many hostels require guests to sign in, verifying their identity in the process. Others limit guests to the common areas, while some extend this policy to guests of those staying in private rooms. It is more difficult to limit who can be a visitor than to control when and where they can go. So, consider these policies as an easier way to screen and validate visitors each time. Some guests may complain about security policies being too controlling or inconvenient, but most will understand the reasoning behind them and be happy that they feel safe because of it. For any behavior you limit, offer alternatives, such as late-night bars where they can drink or places to go with guests past visiting hours. Many of these policies were put into place after something negative happened, so use prisons as an example. Prisons cannot offer answers to everything. Most inmates do not have their own lockers nor can they cook their own meals; however, it is up to you to ensure your hostel is secure. Hostel guests sacrifice privacy for a cheaper night’s sleep and/or a more social experience. They should not feel as if they are sacrificing security too.