TWO NH DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS PRISONS ACHIEVED NATIONAL ACCREDITATION STATUS

(Concord, NH)  New Hampshire Department of Corrections Commissioner Stephen J. Curry announced that the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility (NCF) in Berlin and the New Hampshire State Prison for Women (NHSP/W) in Goffstown have successfully completed the national accreditation audit conducted by the American Correctional Association (ACA) and are poised for full accreditation for the next three years.

The accreditation program is a professional peer review process based on over 500 mandatory and non-mandatory national standards.  ACA standards address services, programs, and operations essential to effective correctional management.  Accreditation is a rigorous audit process that requires review of policies and documentation, as well as extensive interviews with staff and offenders.  Through accreditation, the department is able to maintain a balance between protecting the public and providing an environment that safeguards the life, health, and safety of staff and offenders.

Commissioner Curry said, “The achievement of this accreditation status is the direct result of the hard work of over 300 outstanding Department of Corrections employees, uniformed and non-uniformed, and a clear reflection of their professionalism and dedication.  They are truly deserving of our thanks and congratulations.”

The accreditation process will proceed during the coming weeks at the New Hampshire State Prison for Men in Concord, the Lakes Region Facility in Laconia, Probation and Parole, the three halfway houses, and the central offices.