The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections Bureau of Adult Detention recently awarded the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio a certificate for successfully complying with Ohio’s 2008 jail standards. The inspection was held May 21.
    The yearly inspection focused on reception, security, housing, fire drills, medical, recreation, administrative segregation, staffing and jail administrator training. The facility earned 100 percent compliance in 68 areas critical to effective jail operations.
    Jim Dennis, CCNO Executive Director, said, “the Ohio Minimum Jail Standards are a basis of our operation. It’s important to have an outsider like a state jail inspector come and access us to make sure we are complying with all regulations. CCNO staff work very hard at consistently complying with these standards and preparing for the inspection. CCNO is on a course of continuous improvement while consistently complying with American Correctional Association and Ohio Minimum Jail standards.”
    Noted during the state inspection were the 322 improvements since the bureau’s last visit in 2007 at which time CCNO received full accreditation in all Ohio minimum jail standards.
    CCNO also received re-accreditation from the American Corrections Association (ACA) following an intense three-day audit held in January of this year. Mr. Dennis said acquiring ACA accreditation allows CCNO to achieve the highest standards in the country and in the field of corrections. ACA standards require high levels of sanitation, security, staff operations, and offender programs. CCNO was the first regional jail and the fourth jail overall in the State of Ohio to first gain ACA accreditation back in April 2005. An audit is conducted every three years to maintain accreditation.