What to Expect Inside Oconto County's New Jail (Built 2017): Capacity, Pods, and Housing Types

The Oconto County Jail opened on August 7, 2017. That matters because newer jails tend to have more defined housing areas, which affects how people are separated and where they end up day to day.

Here, the layout isn't just about walls and doors - it's how the facility organizes people. The design supports classification: the process of deciding where someone should be housed based on their situation and needs.

The main center pod holds 145 prisoners. If you're picturing a small row of cells, think bigger - this is a central housing hub designed for a sizable population.

That 145-person capacity isn't one open room. The main center pod is divided into 17 separate housing units, spreading people across multiple areas rather than housing everyone together.

Those 17 housing units allow for different housing styles. Some areas have single-cell assignments; others operate more like dorms.

• ✓ Some housing units use single-cell assignments.
• ✓ If you’re told someone is in a single-cell unit, it generally means their housing is based around individual cells rather than a shared sleeping area.
• ✓ In this facility, single-cell housing is one of the standard unit types you may hear referenced.

• ✓ Some housing units are dormitory, open-concept housing units.
• ✓ If you hear “dorm” or “open concept,” it points to a shared housing setup rather than individual cells for everyone.
• ✓ This dormitory style is another standard unit type within the pod.

Since the jail opened in 2017, its pod-and-unit layout was built with classification in mind. The design helps staff place people into the most appropriate housing unit rather than treating the jail as one large, one-size-fits-all space.

1. Translate “pod” into “main housing hub” - At Oconto County Jail, the main center pod is the central housing area, and it contains 17 housing units.
2. Translate “single cell” into “individual assignment” - Some units are set up for single-cell assignments, meaning the housing is organized around individual cells.
3. Translate “dorm” into “open-concept unit” - Other units are dormitory, open-concept housing units, which means a shared-style housing setup within that unit.