SUNFLOWER COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – For the first time in nearly 10 years, the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP) at Parchman regained full national accreditation after testing by the American Correctional Association (ACA).

The ACA monitors prison conditions and operations with emphasis on inmate living conditions, officer training, and safety inside prisons.

“We couldn’t be happier,” said MSP Superintendent Marcus McClure. “We have worked night-and-day to quickly renovate and repair Parchman’s aging facilities, to improve all living conditions for inmates and staff alike, to improve our food and medical care, and make Parchman more about personal development and improvement.”

According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), an ACA team of corrections experts from around the country spent days inspecting all areas of the prison.

MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain said, “We have to give credit to Governor Reeves, the Legislative Corrections Committee and state lawmakers for providing the necessary funds for ongoing improvements as well as recruiting. The cleaner and safer our prisons are, the easier it will be to recruit more qualified and seasoned staff and retain them. This award, after nine years, is proof we are making improvements at Parchman and at all of our facilities.”

The new accreditation joins last week’s dismissal of a lawsuit against MDOC and Parchman related to conditions at the facility.