Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers Voices Strong Opposition to ACA Accreditation for Department of Corrections

Governor McKee,

I am writing to you today to voice deep concerns regarding the Department of Corrections pursuit of accreditation through the American Correctional Association (ACA). The Brotherhood of Correctional Officers strongly opposes any such contract or certification, citing repeated allegations of incompetence and conflicts of interest resulting in the accreditation of unsafe and violent institutions.

In May of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to renew its contract with the ACA, amid a Congressional investigation spearheaded by three U.S. Senators including Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward Marky (D-MA). The lawmakers wrote, “the ACA’s accreditation system is ineffective at best, and at worst misleads the public to believe that failing facility’s operations are adequate.” They warned that the ACA’s accreditation system is “largely toothless and is marred by conflicts of interest,” and the ACA has accredited prisons that have forced inmates to live in unsafe and violent conditions. According to the investigation, “the association accredits virtually every facility that pays the accreditation fee, and its audit processes are virtually impossible to fail.”

While the ACA touts that accreditation protects institutions from litigation, legal experts have contested this claim as well. Elizabeth Alexander, the former director of the National Prison Project of the ACLU wrote, “The ACA claims that prisons are safer from being sued because the conditions in accredited facilities are better. But it’s hard to find compelling evidence in support of this proposition.”

For a large single facility or complex operation, the total cost of obtaining ACA accreditation including all fees, preparation, and necessary improvements, can easily exceed $100,000 to several million dollars. The ACA is an incredible drain on taxpayer dollars and has already cost the state an exorbitant amount of money. For example, Director Wayne Salisbury is planning on creating at least seven additional positions within the Department of Corrections to oversee the accreditation process, costing the people of Rhode Island over $1 million in annual salaries and benefits alone. These much needed funds could be going towards improving our aging facilities, updating inmate programming, and boosting recruitment and retention efforts for our officers.

The shortcomings of this deeply flawed process are perhaps the most evident at the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls. Currently, Wyatt is the only ACA accredited facility in the state. It has been accredited since 1995 and has consistently received high marks during each re-accreditation audit. However, in that time, there have been multi-million dollar legal settlements, inmate deaths, violence, and escapes. In 2008, 34-year-old Hiu Lui Ng died of cancer in the facility. The Rhode Island ACLU alleged Ng was treated with “cruel, inhumane, malicious and sadistic behavior.” The ACLU lawsuit resulted in a multimillion-dollar settlement for Ng’s family in 2012. A slew of additional lawsuits include that of Raymond Francisco, who alleged he was "subjected to unnecessary, malicious and sadistic force and denied access to counsel and the courts.” According to court records from 2013, Francisco was subjected to a beating that allegedly resulted in his being "left naked, handcuffed and shackled on a sleeping mat for two days.” In 2017, inmate James Morales escaped from the detention center. An investigation found that three hours passed before it was discovered he was gone.

In closing, we respectfully request that the administration cease pursuit of ACA accreditation and consider investing in meaningful systemic changes that will directly serve our inmates, staff, and the people of Rhode Island. We look forward to further discussing our concerns with the administration and considering the best path for our community.

Respectfully,

Richard Ferruccio

President, RI Brotherhood of Correctional Officers