Rutherford County – TN: Rutherford County Correctional Work Center Superintendent William Cope announced Wednesday, September 6, 2023, that the Correctional Work Center has attained a new accreditation through the Tennessee Corrections Institute that will help to reduce offender recidivism and increase state funding to the facility.

“Today the Tennessee Corrections Institute’s Board of Control designated the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center a Tier 1 facility,” said Cope. It is the first time in the history of the agency that the facility has obtained that certification. Cope said, “While we have obtained national accreditation in the past, this is the first time a Tennessee state accreditation has been offered and I am very proud of our staff and residents for being able to achieve this status”

In April of 2022, TCI announced the new accreditation opportunity to all jails across the state. The accreditation titled “Tier 1” required jails to adopt new policies and procedures or in some cases update existing ones, to improve the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts of the jail’s inmates. These new Tier 1 requirements included inmate programs such as Adult Education, Moral Reconation Therapy, and employment skills. A second accreditation titled “Tier 2” increased those requirements. The programs have proven across the country to reduce offenders from returning to jail. Facilities that obtained these accreditations would then be eligible for an increase in funding from the Tennessee Department of Corrections for state inmates housed in the county facilities.

More information on Tennessee Corrections Institute Tier 1 Accreditation can be found at "Voluntary Accreditation Standards or in the Rules" or by visiting the "TN Corrections Institute Board of Control".