The Atlantic County Justice Facility has once again been found to be in full compliance with the state standards for adult county correctional facilities after a five-day inspection in late February by the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

“The hard work and dedication by the staff of your facility was evident to the members of the inspection team and certainly deserves special recognition,” NJDOC Assistant Commissioner D. Patterson Sessomes said in a letter to Warden David Kelsey.

The annual inspection included a thorough review of numerous standards including, personnel, training and staff development, emergency procedures, records, sanitation, food service, inmate services, health services, disciplinary procedures, security and control visitation, admissions and access to courts.

The Atlantic County Justice Facility, in cooperation with its medical vendor, Centers for Family Guidance,  also earned re-accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, which conducts a two-day on-site inspection every three years based on recommended requirements for the proper management of a correctional health services delivery system.

“We commend the facility staff for their professional conduct, assistance, and candor during the course of our review,” the NCCHC report noted.

Accreditation requires 100% compliance with 39 essential standards and 85% compliance with 20 additional standards. The Justice Facility was rated 100% in both areas.

Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson said he was very proud of the warden and his staff for attaining 100% compliance in both the state inspection and national re-accreditation review.

“The job these officers and staff perform is essential, yet extremely challenging,” Levinson said. “We congratulate them for this significant achievement. It is rewarding to see their hard work and dedication recognized on a state and national level.”

The Atlantic County Justice Facility in Mays Landing houses male and female inmates who are pretrial, pre-sentenced, county sentenced, and occasionally, state sentenced and awaiting a transfer, or state inmates contracted to the county facility.


Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.