The Union County Jail, for the first time in its history, earned accreditation from the American Correctional Association with a perfect score of 100.
The 100 percent score is considered rare among jails, and only 150 jails nationwide out of 3,000 are accredited. The audit of the Union County Jail was conducted last year by the ACA.
The American Correctional Association is the body tasked with developing nationwide standards for policies and procedures that safeguard life, health and safety of corrections personnel and inmates.
ACA accreditation covers all areas of a facility, including safety, security, order, inmate care, programs, justice, and administration.
ACA standards are the national benchmark for the effective operation of correctional systems throughout the United States and are necessary to ensure that facilities are operated professionally.
Union County Department of Corrections Director Ron Charles was on hand to receive the news with his accreditation team members at the American Correctional Association’s Congress of Corrections in San Diego, California, last month.