News: Press Releases

Southampton Detention Center Receives ACA Accreditation

RICHMOND – Virginia Department of Corrections (DOC) Director Ron Angelone announced today that Southampton Men’s Detention Center in Capron, Virginia, has been awarded accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA).

“Our vision is to be a model correctional agency and proven innovative leader in a manner consistent with sound correctional principles,” said Director Angelone. “These results confirm Virginia’s national leadership role in corrections and Southampton Men’s Detention Center staff are to be commended for their efforts. DOC will continue its efforts to accredit facilities state-wide.”

Southampton Men’s Detention Center was in 100% compliance with 25 mandatory standards and 94.2% compliant with 243 non-mandatory standards. The ACA audit team evaluated the conditions of confinement and found the overall quality of life to be excellent. Quality of life is a major consideration and relates to sanitation, education, inmate programs, and staff and inmate communication within the facility.

The accreditation program is a professional peer review process based on national standards that have evolved since the founding of the ACA in 1870. These standards were developed by national leaders in the field of corrections and include experts in law, architecture, health care, and other groups interested in sound correctional management.

Southampton Men’s Detention Center, part of Southampton Correctional Center built in 1939, joins a list of ACA accredited facilities in Virginia that includes Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women, Sussex I State Prison and Red Onion State Prison. Statewide