American Correctional Association auditors have recommended accreditation be awarded to Albemarle Correctional Institution in Stanly County, another step toward full accreditation of the North Carolina prison system.
Albemarle Correctional is the 27th N.C. Department of Adult Correction location or operation recommended for accreditation.
ACA auditors found Albemarle Correctional, located in New London, scored 100% on the audit for mandatory standards and 98.38% on non-mandatory standards during their intensive inspections, conducted Feb. 12-14. The ACA Commission on Accreditation for Corrections will vote to formally grant accreditation at a future meeting.
“These ACA standards are tough, and meeting them required a tremendous amount of work by everyone at Albemarle to prepare for this audit. These scores speak volumes about their dedication and commitment,” said Warden Kenneth Diggs. “I'm very proud of our staff for everything they do to run such a safe, effective and humane correctional facility.”
Performance-based standards evaluate fundamental correctional practices that
- ensure staff and offender safety and security
- enhance staff morale
- improve record maintenance and data management capabilities
- and improve the function of the facility.
As part of the accreditation process, the ACA auditors conducted visual inspections, reviewed policies and procedures, and probed the work being done to ensure best practices are met at the prison.
The Department is pursuing accreditation for all its operations, as envisioned in the NCDAC Strategic Plan.