Essex County Prison Gets ACA Accreditation: ‘100% Compliance’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark has received accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA) for the fourth time in a row, officials announced Friday.

The Essex County Correctional Facility (ECCF) scored a 100 percent rating to receive the three-year accreditation. The ECCF first received ACA accreditation in 2013.

According to county officials, ACA representatives conducted their audit of the Essex County Correctional Facility from June 6 to 9.

County officials said “all aspects of jail operations” were reviewed, including accommodations provided to inmates, medical treatment and social services available to inmates, maintenance of the facility, administrative operations and finances, visitation conditions, policies and procedures of the facility and training of officers.

The ECCF received 100 percent compliance on the mandatory areas and was 98.38 percent compliant in non-mandatory areas, officials said.

Other agencies have evaluated the prison in the recent past. According to a news release from Essex County officials:

“The corrections department has received 100 percent compliance with the New Jersey State Department of Corrections inspections every year since 2006 and has been accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities since 2007.”

“Our priority at the correctional facility is to provide a safe and secure environment for our corrections officers, civilian staff and inmates,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“Obtaining accreditation is not an easy process and requires the involvement of all our offices and employees,” DiVincenzo said. “I thank them for their professionalism and attention to detail.”

“The ECCF is the largest facility of its kind in New Jersey, and I am proud to have earned accreditation for the fourth consecutive time,” Essex County Chief of Staff Phil Alagia said.

“Under the county executive’s leadership, we took our corrections department from being under a federal consent order for over 25 years and transformed it into a first-class agency that provides custody for not only Essex County inmates, but also Union County, state and federal marshal’s inmates,” he added.

The accreditation comes as some advocates and employees continue to criticize conditions at the county-run prison, which has seen accusations of health and safety risks in the recent past.

• See related article: Staffing Woes Affect Mental Health Care At Essex County Prison, Report Says
• See related article: Stabbing, Beating At Essex County Jail Is Only Tip Of Iceberg, Union Says

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