The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, San Saba Unit, recently received official notification and certificate of accreditation from the American Correctional Association (ACA). The ACA was founded in 1870 with the purpose of establishing standards for all types of correctional facilities including adult prisons, juvenile facilities and county jails. The purpose of the accreditation process is to identify strengths as well as weaknesses in living conditions, programs and staff development and training. Accreditation has a sole purpose of improving "quality of life" for both offenders and staff at each facility.

Warden Jeffery Pringle is extremely proud of all the staff of the San Saba Unit to achieve such high recognition since the unit had been functioning as an adult male facility for only 18 months at the time of the audit. Correctional Officer Dale McKinnerney is one of only eight ACA Certified Correctional Officers in the State of Texas and served the Unit as the ACA Coordinator acting as liaison between staff of the San Saba Unit and the ACA audit team. There were 478 standards which were required of the San Saba Unit and the Unit passed with a score of 98.5 percent compliant, the standards which were found to be in non-compliance were related to construction and beyond the control of the staff or administration of the San Saba Unit. The accreditation of the San Saba Unit again proves the dedication of the citizens involved in the many facets of the facility including staff, volunteers and community leaders.