American Correctional Association auditors have recommended accreditation be awarded to the Office of Staff Development and Training, another step toward full accreditation of the North Carolina correctional system.
OSDT is the 30th N.C. Department of Adult Correction location or operation recommended for accreditation.
ACA auditors found OSDT scored 100% on the audit for mandatory standards and 100% on non-mandatory standards during their intensive inspections, conducted March 7-8. The ACA Commission on Accreditation for Corrections will vote to formally grant accreditation at a future meeting.
OSDT ensures DAC employees receive the training necessary to perform their duties to the highest standards, including more than 10,000 whose positions require certification through the N.C. Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission.
“Because of the responsibility our office bears, we take ACA accreditation very seriously,” said Spencer Noble, DAC director of staff development and training. “Our staff worked hard for months to prepare for this audit. They impress me every day in their dedication and team spirit, but I’ve never been as proud of them as I am today.”
The audit’s 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 operation.
As part of the accreditation process, the ACA auditors spent three days conducting visual inspections, reviewing policies and procedures, and probing the work being done to ensure best practices are met.
The Department is pursuing accreditation for all its operations, as envisioned in the NCDAC Strategic Plan.