Do We Need Correctional Facility Accreditation? Essay

Whats the public utility company of Accrediting punitory Facilities?An increasing number of punitory facilities are private corporations. wherefore? Because private companies have indicated that they can save more money than it cost the various state political relations, to house prisoners. Because theres no g all overnment intervention, ACA or the American Correctional Association is an organization developed to speak help these facilities regarding issues on facility administration, and seeing to the health unspoiledty and social welfare of inmatesor, accreditation.However, no one really knows what the accreditation standards are. According to the article, A Dubious mark, written by Silja J.A. Talvi for the newsmagazine, In These Times, The ACAs accreditation process is kept incomprehensible from the public all that outsiders know for sure is which facilities have been accredited. In fact, the ACA itself is a private, non-governmental organization with no authority to chan ge prison conditions or to administer standards. Even on their Web site at http//www.aca.org there is a general questions and answers section for correctional facilities managers who may have nigh the process, merely no detailed information about it.The Pros and Cons of AccreditationThere seem to be one outstanding pro and con on the subject of correctional facility accreditation. The pro is this, according to the ACA Web site, Accredited agencies have a stronger defense against litigation through the demonstration of a good assurance effort to improve conditions of confinement. The con is this accredited prisons offer no benefits to the module and inmates.No Conning the Convicts More Problems in PrisonsSilvi also notes that accreditation does not translate into fall apart facilities for inmates, or better pay for employees, such as the prison guards. Ms. Talvari notes many specific incidents where accreditation meant worse, not better facility conditionsIn July 2004 at Crow ley Correctional Facility the inmates who had complained about conditions (e.g. conditions of confinement, physical abuse, etc.) rioted, destroying cells, furniture, plumbing and equipment. At the time alone Guards watched over 1, 122 prisoners.In September 2004, at Kentuckys Lee try-on Center, prisoners also rioted. Correctional officers doinging there made $8.00 an hour, and sometimes work 12-hour shifts.These are just a few of the incidents that have occurred at ACA-accredited prisons over the years.Accredited facilities dont seem to provide any benefits to the public, the inmates or facility employees. Also, theres too much secrecy about the accrediting association, too many problems associated with the accredited institutions. It seems the only benefit to accreditation, is just as the site says a way to protect the facilities and their owners from lawsuits, rather than to make prisons safe and humane. These are the reason that Im against it.Running the AsylumReferencesAmeric an Correctional Association. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http//www.aca.orgAmerican Correctional Association. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http//www.aca.org/standards/faq.aspTalvi, Silja, J.A. (2005, February 4) .A Dubious Distinction. In These Times. Retrieved from http//www.inthesetimes.com/article/1920Talvi, Silja, J.A. (2005, February 28) .Cashing in on the Cons. In These Times. Retrieved from http//www.inthesetimes.com/article/1924Hambourger, Tim (2008, December 1) Dollars and Sins Privatized Prisons and the exhaust hood onCrime Penology. Retrieved from http//www.princeton.edu/dands/editorial/prison