American Correctional Association Audit Team Recommends Re-Accreditation for Greenwood Restitution Center

JACKSON, Miss. (Press Release) — The Greenwood Restitution Center is once again meeting all nationally accepted correctional standards, according to an American Correctional Association audit team.

Following a two-day audit, the Greenwood facility received a recommended score for re-accreditation of 100% on the mandatory standards and a recommended score of 100% on the non-mandatory standards. The facility was initially accredited in 2005.

Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) Commissioner Christopher Epps yesterday expressed his appreciation to the staff of the Greenwood Restitution Center for their tireless work and dedication in successfully demonstrating their ability to continue to meet the standards. “I congratulate Deputy Commissioner of Community Corrections Jerry Williams, Community Corrections Director Lee McTeer, Commander Allen Langdon, ACA Accreditation Manager Bobby Welch and the entire Greenwood Restitution Center staff for an outstanding job well done,” Epps said. “This is a great day for the state of Mississippi and the Mississippi Department of Corrections.”

To be awarded re-accreditation, the restitution center had to comply with 100% of the 33 mandatory standards identified by ACA and comply with at least 90% of the 220 non-mandatory standards identified by ACA. Auditors will report their findings and make a recommendation to the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC), which will hold an accreditation panel hearing in August. At the CAC panel hearing, it will be decided if the restitution center is awarded re-accreditation.

“I am always elated, but never surprised by our correctional staff when asked to work together for a common goal,” Williams said. “This is indeed an outstanding day for the Mississippi Department of Corrections.”

The Greenwood Restitution Center currently houses 68 residents who provide labor in the community for non-profit agencies and local, county and state agencies.

Individual accreditation awards last for three years; however, the process is designed to be continuous. It is a system to verify that correctional programs comply with national standards developed by the ACA. The ACA Standards Committee continually revises the standards based on changing practices, current case law, and correctional agency experiences. Approved standards reflect the view of correctional practitioners, architects, medical and legal experts. The advantages and benefits of accreditation are numerous and include: the assessment of a facility’s strengths and weaknesses; the identification of obtainable goals; the implementation of state of the art policies and procedures; the establishment of specific guidelines for daily operations; an aid in the defense of frivolous lawsuits; an increase in community support; and a higher level of staff professionalism and morale.

In 2008, the American Correctional Association presented its highest honor for commitment to excellence – the EAGLE AWARD – to the Mississippi Department of Corrections for its work to have all programs within its jurisdiction accredited. Mississippi’s prison system became the fourteenth in the nation to claim such an accomplishment.