American Correctional Association
Contributor
The American Correctional Association (ACA) reaccredited seven Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) correctional institutions during the ACA's 2025 conference in Orlando. The standards created and refined by the ACA represent fundamental practices that ensure staff and inmate safety and security, enhance staff morale, improve record maintenance and data management capabilities, and improve the function of the facility and agency at all levels. "Each year, our staff consistently strive for excellence and maintain our position as a national leader in correctional practices. I take great pride in their daily dedication, which has earned us recognition for reaccreditation at these institutions," said Florida Department of Corrections Deputy Secretary Richard Comerford. "Achieving ACA accreditation is a key opportunity to highlight our hard work, strengthen our foundation, and reaffirm our commitment to public safety. I want to express my gratitude to our leaders across the state who remain steadfast in their commitment to our essential mission." Over the last year, ACA audit teams from across the country visited Florida Women's Reception Center, Reception and Medical Center, Century, Lancaster, Marion, Santa Rosa, and Suwannee Correctional Institutions to conduct comprehensive on-site audits of all aspects of prison operations. Each of these institutions was 100 percent compliant with mandatory standards. For more than 150 years, the ACA has been the recognized worldwide authority in corrections, and its Commission on Accreditation for Corrections certifies correctional facilities. FDC began the process of seeking nationally recognized accreditation from the ACA in 1968. All of Florida's major state institutions are accredited by the ACA. For more information about the accreditation process, visit www.aca.org.