Describe the locations of courthouses.

Question

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Answer 1

In some cities, courthouses are landmarks in the center of downtown areas. Such courthouses have served as anchors "for many commercial and community activities" (Sahoo, 2006, p. 9). In sharp contrast, for security reasons, criminal courts of other cities were purposefully constructed near pretrial detention facilities in isolated and inconvenient locations. Clustered nearby are older buildings, occupied by bail agents and defense attorneys. Garish neon signs proclaiming "Bail Bonds, 24-Hour Service" compete with unpainted wooden structures to provide a general sense of urban decay. The courthouse building likewise often has a haggard and unkempt look about it. Beneath the veneer of decades of grime, though, one sees a once grand building built during an era when citizens took great pride in their public buildings. Although criminal court buildings are constructed in a variety of architectural styles, they nevertheless all seem to present an image of solidity and unyielding strength.