CANTON – The Stark County Jail has received national accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA), the third county jail in Ohio to do so, according to the the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.
During the evaluation in late 2023, auditors inspected three principal areas:
- Facility safety and security − Ensuring that the establishment consistently provides a safe environment for inmates and staff alike.
- Healthcare − Ensuring comprehensive, timely, and quality medical care for all inmates.
- Inmate services − Evaluating the range and quality of programs and services provided to those in the jail, contributing to inmate well-being and community reintegration and directly impacting recidivism.
The audit team from the ACA took an in-depth approach, touring the facility, meeting with staff and inmates, and observing the jail team throughout their daily roles.
The jail was evaluated against 154 ACA Core Standards with specific compliance criteria. The facility met all 47 mandatory standards with 100% compliance. Of the 107 non-mandatory standards, which require a 90% compliance rate for accreditation approval, the Stark County Jail received a 95.2% compliance.