Working in any detention facility can be a challenging task. People within these facilities display a large variety of cognitive, psychological, and social challenges. In promoting a safe and therapeutic environment a sound security framework is key. In an institutional setting there are three distinct, but inter-related elements of security: physical security, procedural security, and relational security. Relational security has been labeled the most valuable and unobtrusive form of control; it emphasizes the role of staff and the alliance between staff and the people incarcerated. For this first meeting we would like to focus on ‘relational security’ and investigate how we can design secure facilities grounded in a security framework that put relational security at the forefront.