ACA, Founded 1870. American Correctional Association. Advance. Connect. Achieve.

Standards

The Standards and Accreditation Department is dedicated to the field of corrections. The standards created and refined by the American Correctional Association’s Performance-Based Standard Committee and the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections represent fundamental correctional practices that ensure staff and inmate safety and security; enhance staff training and morale; improve record maintenance and data management capabilities; assist in protecting the agency against litigation; and improve the management and function of the facility or agency at all levels. The department’s roles include development and monitoring of the ACA standard manuals, facilitation of the ACA accreditation process (formalized by the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections), and creating training and community resources to help facilities, auditors, and administrators access and implement leading correctional practices within their agency.

Tools for Excellence

Access the essential forms and documents needed to support your accreditation process. ACA’s Standards Forms provide agencies with the tools to track compliance, prepare for audits, and maintain adherence to nationally recognized correctional standards.

Expected Practices - Proposal Submission Form

The opportunity for revisions to the ACA expected practices is now available. The portal opened for submissions on Monday, December 29, 2025 and will close on Friday, January 16, 2026. The revisions proposed during this period will be available for public comment from Tuesday, January 20, 2026 through Monday, January 26, 2026.
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Auditors

ACA consultant auditors are experienced correctional professionals who are approved by the Director of Standards and Accreditation.

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Standards Committee Meeting Minutes

Access records from previous meetings below.

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Awards

The American Correctional Association awards excellence in the auditing and accreditation field.

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PREA

As a partner of the PREA Resource Center, ACA has dedicated its experience and expertise in auditing to the PREA audit protocol.

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