NATCHEZ — Natchez community leaders offered their unequivocal support and appreciation to Adams County Correctional Center officials Monday afternoon.

Adams County supervisors David Carter, Calvin Butler, Angela Hutchins and Ricky Gray, Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell and members of Natchez Inc. attended a community advisory meeting at Natchez Children’s Home Services Monday to get an update on the prison operated by Corrections Corporations of America.

ACCC warden David Berkebile said he was proud to announce that the county facility recently received reaccreditation from the American Correctional Association, passing 100 percent of the mandatory and non-mandatory standards. Berkebile said he recently returned from Boston where he received the good news.

“There are a lot of good things happening and a lot of good things to be happy about,” Berkebile said. “There are a lot of good prisons in this country and Adams County Correctional Center is one of them.”

In recent months, ACCC has been one of the country’s privately-owned prison harshly criticized in a Department of Justice report that reviewed safety and security conditions in the 13 privately-run prisons for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

A riot in May 2012, that resulted in the death of corrections officer Catlin Carithers appears to have prompted the report.

The report has prompted the Bureau of Prison to decline or substantially reduce new contracts with private prison operators.

CCA has said the DOJ report contains flaws and doesn’t match other independent studies that show their facilities to be equal to or better than government-run prisons.

Berkebile noted that ACCC was recently found to be compliant with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Prison Rape Elimination Act standards.

Natchez Inc. Board Chairman Sue Stedman offered her support of the facility.

“The community really appreciates CCA being here,” Stedman said. “If there is anything we can do to help to keep you happy, let us know.”

Mayor Grennell and District 2 Supervisor David Carter also offered their help.

“We want to do whatever we can do to keep you in Adams County,” Carter said. “We want to keep you here.”

Officials said a recent trip to Washington, D.C., also resulted in positive support from the state’s legislative delegation.

When asked about the recent news that the Bureau of Prisons is seeking to curtail use of private prisons, Berkebile said CCA will continue to provide the best in corrections.

“Our plan is to operate at the highest level and show them that we are an option for them,” Berkebile said.

ACCC opened in 2009. The facility currently houses 1,781 inmates Berkebile said. Most of them are illegal immigrant offenders. Fifty-two countries are represented. Approximately 88 percent of the inmates are Hispanic. Of the population, 76-percent of the inmates are doing time on drug-related charges, Berkebile said.