Danville VA Adult Detention Center is classified as a Independent City Jail facility, the lowest custody level for a prison. Minimum security prisons or prison camps are comprised of non-secure dormitories which are rarely patrolled by correctional officers. The prison has no fence to speak of, no armed watch towers or roving patrol. There is less supervision and control over inmates in the dormitories and less supervision of inmate movement within the prison than at any other custody level. Inmates assigned to minimum security prisons generally pose the least risk to public safety and often get placed in the community work space - returning to the camp in the evening. The camp is considered the best situation to be in if you have to be incarcerated. Inmates must short-timers and non-violent with a clear disciplinary history to qualify for camp designation. Long term inmates at higher security institutions within the system are incentivized to "work their way down" in the custody levels to be eligible for transfer to the camp. The camp has it has its own group laundry/kitchen area, toilet and shower area adjacent to the sleeping quarters that contain double bunks and lockers. There are plenty of exercise areas including a softball field, walking track, weight pile, and even racquet sports. The camp has a library with computer terminals for legal research. Inmates are still required to follow a rigid schedule for meals and count time.
The concept of a city jail that is wholly independent of any county structure is rare in the U.S. and is primarily a Virginia phenomenon. Of the 41 independent cities in the United States, 38 are in Virginia. The three outside Virginia are Baltimore, Maryland; St. Louis, Missouri; and Carson City, Nevada. These are cities not part of any county, so their detention is inherently city-operated with no county jail to fall back on.