Already a frontrunner in the corrections industry, Creative Corrections recently received the honor of worldwide accreditation under ISO 17020:2012 . The firm is now the only independent organization able to audit prisons in the US and around the world with this level of accreditation.
“We’re one of the largest prison auditing companies in the United States,” says Percy Pitzer, the organization’s Founding Manager. “I’m especially proud that out of our 137 staff, approximately 100 are retired top-notch correctional experts. As an auditing firm, the two assets we have to offer are our integrity and our experience. Those two assets are everything to our brand. Without them, we wouldn’t have a company.”
The importance of conducting prison audits
Creative Corrections audits correctional facilities with a mission to improve operations. The company performs nearly 160 audits every year.
“Our rule of thumb is ‘call it like you see it,’” Pitzer remarks. “If it’s good, call it that way, but if it’s not, call it that way. We want to fix problems because a facility that operates smoothly can look to the future rather than putting out daily fires. The fact is that what doesn’t get checked doesn’t get fixed.”
A prison audit impartially evaluates a facility’s operation, health standards, safety measures, physical conditions, and the inmates’ treatment. It measures how well a particular prison complies with local and international human rights norms and the prevailing laws regulating prison conditions. Essentially, these audits promote and set the standards for lawful, secure, and humane prison environments.
Creative Corrections is known for integrity, but it is equally known for giving back. Since its inception, the firm has contributed $ 1.4 million to the Pitzer Family Education Foundation (PFEF) .
“As retired staff from correctional facilities around the country, we wanted to do our part to break the cycles of recidivism and intergenerational incarceration by providing parolees and children of inmates with educational scholarships,” Pitzer notes. “Next, we go one step further, allowing prison inmates to contribute to these scholarships, which gives them a chance to contribute back to society and directly support a better future for their children.”
The ISO 17020:2012 standard explained
Creative Corrections applied for the ISO 17020:2012 accreditation because it provides the framework to ensure that an inspection body meets both customer needs and regulatory requirements. The standard outlines the objectivity, confidentiality, management requirements, resources, and standardized processes an inspection agency must maintain to build the highest level of trust among stakeholders and ensure accurate and reliable inspection results.
This independent accreditation is reserved for organizations that demonstrate the utmost dedication to operational competence, integrity, and reliability. As an internationally recognized standard, the accreditation ensures that inspection reports and certificates from Creative Corrections will be accepted across borders and that the firm meets or exceeds the regulatory requirements of industries and countries around the world.
Creative Corrections’s long path to accreditation
With headquarters in Beaumont, Texas — where Pitzer retired as a prison warden — Creative Corrections has served the correctional and detention industry since 2002. For over two decades, it has been widely known for its excellent auditing, consulting, and management services. Under the leadership of Percy Pitzer and Stephen Spaulding, the firm has completed over 1,800 audits, establishing itself as a trusted name in the correctional industry.
“Today, we are the only company in the United States accredited by an international accreditation agency to perform prison audits,” Pitzer notes. “This accreditation shows everyone that we do our work well and that we have an international organization looking over our shoulders to ensure we continue to do the work correctly.”
To obtain the ISO 17020:2012 accreditation, Creative Corrections underwent a rigorous evaluation process conducted by an external accreditation body. The process involved a lengthy and in-depth review of the organization’s processes, procedures, and management systems.
“Obtaining accreditation was not easy,” states Pitzer. “The effort required a deep commitment to quality and professional excellence from everyone on our team.”
Looking forward, Creative Corrections will be subject to periodic surveillance audits and re-evaluation to maintain its status. This will hold it to a standard of continual improvement and adjustment to emerging best practices and technological advancements.
The ISO 17020:2012 accreditation is a badge of excellence in the operation of inspection bodies and serves as a testament to an organization’s commitment to upholding the high standards of quality, integrity, and expertise required by industries worldwide. Its significance lies not only in elevating the prestige of the inspection body but also in providing reassurance to customers and regulators that the services offered are of the highest international standards.
“Any social structure operating under law, justice, and human rights requires a stringent and standardized system of checks and balances,” Pitzer concludes. “Our timely execution of audits leads to correctional facilities and prison practices that are continuously improving. When done with integrity, audits make the criminal justice system more effective, transparent, and humane. In the area of prison audits, stringent accreditation like the ISO ultimately underpins a more just and humane society for us all.”
Marcy Paulson About the Author: Marcy Paulson is a full-time writer based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She’s been featuring her clients’ stories for eight years and still can’t wait for the next interview. When she’s not near a keyboard, you’ll either find her picking guitar with her husband in their old-time string band, paddling the Tennessee River, or hiking through the Appalachian foothills with their kids.
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