Audit renders high scores for Putnamville and ACA reaccreditation recommendation

Thursday, September 5, 2013
Courtesy Photo
Audit Chairman Nancy Dobbs (center) of Arkansas addresses the Putnamville Correctional Facility staff while flanked by Barb Hladki and James Allen, both from Michigan.

PUTNAMVILLE -- The Putnamville Correctional Facility (PCF) is being recommended for reaccreditation with the American Correctional Association, PCF Superintendent Stanley Knight has announced.

PCF has qualified after meeting 100 percent compliance of the mandatory standards and 98.16 percent compliance of non-mandatory national standards following a recent assessment by an independent team of auditors.

Correction professionals Barb Hladki, Nancy Dobbs (auditing chairman) and James Allen recently spent three days auditing operations and programs at the Putnamville Correctional Facility.

The auditors, hailing from Michigan and Arkansas, toured facility grounds, reviewed policy, procedure and observed practice scoring the facility as compliant, non-compliant or non-applicable on 530 national standards.

The afternoon of the final day of the audit, PCF staff members gathered for exit remarks from the auditors.

"This is a great facility," Audit Chairman Dobbs reported. "We are impressed with all facets of your operation -- the diverse programs available to the offender population; the cleanliness of the facility; and the professionalism of staff.

Courtesy Photo
Putnamville Correctional Facility staff members (front, from left)with visiting auditors are: Shannon Bowling, auditor Nancy Dobbs, auditor Barb Hladki and Alisia Lawrence; (back, from left) Mike Rains, Vanessa Krause, auditor James Allen, PCF Superintendent Stanley Knight, Jan Adams and PCF Assistant Superintendent Tim Phegley.

"Your dedication to sound operational practice is evident," she added, "and we've enjoyed our time here."

Each auditor commented on the positive experience at Putnamville and relayed their appreciation for the receptiveness of staff.

The assembly concluded with remarks from PCF Superintendent Knight, who thanked staff members for their efforts.

"The score exemplifies your hard work and level of commitment to best practice," Knight praised. "We worked as a team, and together we achieved the highest score possible. I am grateful to each and every one of you for making this audit a success."

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