American Correctional Association auditors have recommended accreditation be awarded to the Gaston Correctional Center in Gaston County, another step toward full accreditation of the North Carolina prison system. Gaston Correctional is the 28th N.C. Department of Adult Correction location or operation recommended for, or awarded, accreditation.
ACA auditors found the prison, located in Dallas, N.C., scored 100% on the audit for mandatory standards and 99% on non-mandatory standards during their intensive inspections, conducted Feb. 19-21. The ACA Commission on Accreditation for Corrections will vote to formally grant accreditation at a future meeting.
“I'm proud of the staff for the work they do to operate our prison with such dedication to public safety,” said Warden Vernon Richards. “The ACA sets high standards, and these scores show just how well run our prison is and just how committed the staff is to maintaining a productive and humane correctional facility.”
Performance-based standards evaluate fundamental correctional practices that:
1. ensure staff and offender safety and security.
2. enhance staff morale.
3. improve record maintenance and data management capabilities.
4. 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.