MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (November 4, 2005) ? Governor Mitch Daniels and Indiana Department of Correction Commissioner J. David Donahue announced today that the Indiana State Prison has been recommended for accreditation by the American Correctional Association (ACA) for the first time in its history.

?I?m proud of the progress that is being made in our correctional facilities,? said Governor Daniels during a stop at the facility. ?Our state prison employees deserve to be recognized for their hard work and professionalism as they continue to strive for excellence in our correctional system.?

The accreditation recommendation was made based on scores received by an ACA audit. The Indiana State Prison scored a perfect 100 percent on mandatory standards and 98 percent on non-mandatory standards. The audit was completed on October 19.

?The recommendation does not signal the end of our involvement in the process,? said Commissioner Donahue. ?Though much has been accomplished, there is more work to be done. We will strive to improve any opportunities identified during the audit and maintain continuous compliance with the standards.?

To be recommended for accreditation, a correctional facility must comply with 100 percent of 63 mandatory standards and 90 percent of 471 non-mandatory standards. ACA?s standards reflect the current national policies and procedures with regard to care, custody, and control of adult offenders.

Media contact: Jane Jankowski, Office of the Governor, 317/232-1622, jjankowski@gov.in.gov

Media contact: Randy Koester, Department of Correction, 317/234-1693, rkoester@doc.in.gov