Correction systems are an important factor in modern societies since they are central in reducing crime rates in individual countries. In the US, the correctional system plays a diverse set of roles: punishing wrongdoers, separating innocent citizens from criminals, and rehabilitating criminals, among others (The Law Dictionary, n.d.). One acknowledges the important mandate the US correctional system has in ensuring that the country has minimal crime incidences critical for a progressive society. The country's correctional system comprises different government bodies tasked with the duty of protecting the public from dangerous individuals, a role that is achieved through the stated ways. One such government body is the American Correctional Association (ACA) which plays a unifying role for all the parties that share a common objective of improving the justice system (American Correctional Association, 2020). As indicated through its mission statement, the ACA continues to play a starring role in shaping the future of corrections through robust and progressive leadership that unifies various parties and establishes collaborations that focus on promoting the concepts envisioned in the Declaration of Principles.
ACA’s History
ACA was first founded in 1870 as the National Prison Association (NPA) and has excellently executed its mandate for more than 150 years. Since its inception, ACA has supported the objectives of the correction system by advocating for correctional effectiveness. The association was explicitly established for professionals working in the US correctional system, with Rutherford B. Hayes serving as its first president. The functioning of the association is based on the Declaration of Principle, which was created at the first meeting and later revised during the 1970's centennial meeting. The new set of Principles reflected improvements in theory and practice. These Principles were later updated in 1982, with 2002 being the last time they were reviewed. From 1870 to 1954, the association was known as the National Prison Association. The name the American Correctional Association was adopted during the 1954 Congress of Correction in Philadelphia. This change reflected the expansion of the correction's philosophy and its imperative mandate within the larger global society. Currently, the ACA has its tentacles spread across the globe, with thousands of correctional professionals forming its membership base (American Correctional Association, 2020). From the above ACA’s history, one acknowledges the noble mandate the association plays in ensuring that the world is free from crime solely by focusing on experts in the correctional domain.
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ACA’s Work
The association is mandated with developing standards that form the basis of correctional operations. According to Ballotpedia (n.d.), the ACA is mandated with publishing and updating about 22 manual that contains standards that cover every sphere of correctional operations. By applying these standards, the ACA provides certification programs for correctional institutions that are interested. As mentioned above, ACA accreditation programs are not only limited to the US, but they are found in other countries in other continents. Besides providing accreditation, the institution assists correctional entities in the provision of safe and efficacious healthcare services. This mandate is achieved through ACA’s arm of correctional healthcare. Second, the ACA's department of government affairs is mandated with developing the policy statement on behalf of the organization. As such, the department plays a critical role in representing the organization's position to other external stakeholders across the globe. Last, the organization leverages the mandate of its professional development unit to provide certification programs to correctional professionals (Ballotpedia, n.p.). Such certification programs are critical because they equip professionals with new knowledge and skills to use as a foundation for improving correctional services.
Profound Impact of ACA
Since its inception in 1870, the ACA is associated with some profound successes. These successes have positively impacted the correction services in the US and across the globe. For example, the association remains one of the most well-regarded correctional organizations with over 200,000 stakeholders across the globe (The American Association, 2017). ACA’s members include employees from various correctional institutions, professionals in the criminal justice domain, public representatives, experts in human services, and social workers. One area that the ACA has performed exemplarily is in championing the rights of those in incarceration.
As an association in the correctional system, ACA works to ensure that those tasked with taking care of prisoners uphold human rights. The ACA is a leader in supporting the rights of both prisoners and inmates held within US prisons. Fundamentally, violation of human rights is a common occurrence in the US prison system. For instance, according to Siegel and Bartollas (2016), Blacks and Latino held in US correctional facilities have higher chances of experiencing victimization in different areas of the criminal justice system. Human right violations affect the outcomes of criminal justice processes such as rehabilitation. The American Correctional Association (2017) notes that the US Constitution defines explicit rights and freedoms that each offender is entitled to and which all correctional officers must observe. Over the years, the ACA has ensured that correctional officers and other concerned individuals and groups understand the essence of observing these fundamental human rights and freedoms. For example, in the past, the ACA liaised with various departments, law enforcement officers, and concerned policymakers to ensure that arrested individuals were given fair trials. As such, the association contributed immensely in ensuring that chances of incarcerating innocent people were greatly reduced.
The ACA is at the center, providing oversight to the justice process. According to Siegel and Bartollas (2016), the association has always endeavored to ensure their speedy execution of judicial processes. Due to this, more US citizens can undergo timely sentencing processes. Principally, when the justice process is prompt, those concerned can present their facts and evidence while the jury can give a timely verdict, either incarcerating or releasing a person. To achieve this goal, the organization collaborates with legal professionals such as lawyers to champion expeditious cases, thus facilitating fair trials for both juveniles and adult inmates.
Further, the ACA has been at the forefront in developing strategies that promote the effectiveness of correctional endeavors across the US. Consequently, there is a stronger collaboration with the correctional system in the country. For instance, ACA has seen the establishment of several community-based programs and rehabilitation centers that have eased pressure from the main correctional facilities since they are used to rehabilitate paroled offenders (Conrad, 2016). One key benefit of these strategies is that more criminals can reshape their lives, thus having a basis for pursuing a positive life. Last, as mentioned earlier, the association develops robust standards that correction officers leverage to meet incarcerated persons' needs. For example, according to Jacobs and Cooperman (2012), the ACA ensures that prisoners are given standardized care through its standards. As such, the ACA supports prisoners depending on their unique needs, especially by training prison officers to identify and address the needs of prisoners under their care.
ACA’s Influence on the Correction Sector
ACA's endeavors have significantly transformed correction services in the US and other countries. There are several notable influences on the correctional system that are associated with ACA. First, Conrad (2016) notes that the association is reputed for playing a key role in the enhanced harmonization of prison facilities, programs, and services. ACA’S members always collaborate when dealing with sensitive matters such as policies and projects. Consequently, various partners and policymakers can come up with novel ideas on a targeted problem. Such an impact has led to improved efficiency in service delivery across the US. Second, over the years, the ACA has consistently managed to champion robust standards that have improved processes in the judicial sector, such as training and support for incarcerated personalities (Conrad, 2016). For example, the association has taken part in guiding legal experts to adopt new proposals and suggestions to support the needs of those facing trial. Relatedly, the criminal justice sector borrows some ideas from the programs run by the association. Third, in conjunction with other players in the justice sector, the ACA has ensured that there is a wide range of community-oriented programs that are meant to improve the quality of services in the correction system in America ( Teitelbaum & Hoffman, 2013 ). Through these programs, ACA has contributed immensely to the efforts geared at empowering various stakeholders such as law enforcement officers, lawyers, and social workers, among others.
Consequently, there has been streamlining of judicial processes carried out in the country. The last significant influence associated with ACA is that it provides adequate technical support, thus ensuring that each player in the justice system engages in the gathering of evidence-based rehabilitation practices (Conrad, 2016). With this contribution, one can say that the association plays a critical role in promoting impartiality in the justice system, especially towards offenders and their victims.
Conclusion
The American Correctional Association (ACA) is one phenomenal organization that has immense impacts and influence on the rights of incarcerated citizens and the correctional domain, respectively. This association was established in 1870 as National Prison Association (NPA) and later changed to ACA in 1970. Fundamentally, the ACA brings together stakeholders in the correctional system for the betterment of service delivery. The impacts and influences that the ACA has on prisoners' rights and the correction system, respectively, are all geared at ensuring that the justice system is effective. Therefore, the ACA is a critical system both within the US borders and globally.
References
American Correctional Association. (2020). The History of the American Correctional Association. American Correctional Association https://www.aca.org/ACA_Prod_IMIS/ACA_Member/About_Us/Our_History/ACA_Member/AboutUs/AboutUs_Home.aspx?hkey=0c9cb058-e3d5-4bb0-ba7c-be29f9b34380
Ballotpedia (n.p.). American Correctional Association . Ballotpedia https://ballotpedia.org/American_Correctional_Association#:~:text=The%20American%20Correctional%20Association%20was,first%20president%20of%20the%20association .
Conrad, S. (2016). Prison librarianship policy and practice. Jefferson, NC: McFarland Books.
Siegel, L., & Bartollas, C. (2016) . Corrections today. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Teitelbaum, J., & Hoffman, L. (2013). Health reform and correctional health care: How the affordable care act can improve the health of ex-offenders and their communities. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 40 (4), 1322-1356. Web.
The American Correctional Association. (n.p.). Standards . The American Correctional Association. http://www.aca.org/ACA_Prod_IMIS/ACA_Member/Standards___Accreditation/Standards/ACA_Member/Standards_and_Accreditation/StandardsInfo_Home.aspx?hkey=7c1b31e5-95cf-4bde-b400-8b5bb32a2bad
The Law Dictionary. (n.d.). Role of The Correctional System. The Law Dictionary. https://thelawdictionary.org/article/role-of-the-correctional-system/
