The Westchester County Department of Correction (WDOC) recently underwent an extensive three day re-accreditation audit from Nov. 4 to Nov. 6, conducted by the American Correctional Association (ACA). It was the fifth audit since the Department received national ACA accreditation status in 2009, becoming the first large jail in New York State to do so and only the seventy first in the country at that time.
As part of the reaccreditation process, the ACA auditors conducted visual inspections on all three tours and interviewed multiple residents and members of the WDOC workforce. Additionally, they reviewed documentation in hundreds of prepared folders to determine if WDOC had consistently applied the 371 of the “best in class” jail standards over the course of the past three year period.
During the Nov. 6 exit interview, the ACA auditors complimented the Department workforce by highlighting the level of professionalism and operational knowledge they exhibited during the inspection process. The Auditors’ were also impressed with the Department’s healthcare services, including COVID-19 protocols, mental health treatment, food service operations, rehabilitation programs and overall safety and sanitation procedures.
Commissioner Joseph K. Spano stated: “I’m proud to report that our Department passed the audit with impressive ratings, receiving 100 percent compliance for the mandatory standards and 99.6 percent compliance with non-mandatory standards. All levels of our workforce are committed to maintaining the ACA standards because they understand that doing so improves overall health and safety conditions and quality of life for both staff and residents. The successful ACA re-accreditation audit combined with the Department’s other unique national certifications is part of what contributes to our reputation as a national leader in the correctional space - something that we are very proud of.”