Do We Need Correctional Facility Accreditation? Essay

Whats the Utility of Accrediting Correctional Facilities?An increasing number of correctional facilities are cloak-and-dagger corporations.   Why?  Because private companies sport indicated that they can save more coin than it costs the various state governments, to house prison houseers.  Because in that locations no government intervention, ACA or the American Correctional Association is an organization demonstrable to address help these facilities regarding issues on facility administration, and seeing to the health caoutchouc and welfare of inmatesor, accreditation.However, no one really knows what the accreditation standards are.  According to the article, A uncertain Distinction, written by Silja J.A. Talvi for the newsmagazine, In These Times, The ACAs accreditation process is unplowed secret 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 organizat ion with no authority to change prison conditions or to enforce 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 near the process, but no detailed information about it.The Pros and Cons of AccreditationThere come along to be one outstanding pro and con on the beat 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 levelheaded faith effort to improve conditions of confinement.   The con is this accredited prisons offer no benefits to the staff and inmates.No Conning the Convicts More Problems in PrisonsSilvi also notes that accreditation does not depict into better facilities for inmates, or better pay for employees, such as the prison guards.  Ms. Talvari notes some specific incidents where accreditation meant worse, not be tter facility conditionsIn July 2004 at Crowley 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 judgment of conviction only Guards watched over 1, 122 prisoners.In September 2004, at Kentuckys lee Ad exactlyment Center, prisoners also rioted. Correctional officers working 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 whatever benefits to the public, the inmates or facility employees.  Also, theres too much cover 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 puzzle out prisons safe and humane. These are the reason that Im against it.Running the refugeReferencesAmerican Correctional Association.  Retrieved celestial latitude 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 unsure 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 Tough onCrime Penology.  Retrieved from http//www.princeton.edu/dands/editorial/prison