HOUSTON, March 8, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Central Falls Detention Facility Corporation and Cornell Companies (NYSE:CRN) announced today that the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls has earned its third re-accreditation through the American Correctional Association (ACA). The re-accreditation audit resulted in the facility earning the highest scores in its history of maintaining the nationally recognized standards for operating a detention facility. The Wyatt Facility remains the first and only correctional facility in the state of Rhode Island to be ACA accredited.
The Wyatt Facility passed 100 percent of all the mandatory ACA standards and 98.9 percent of all non-mandatory standards. In order to pass the ACA audit, a correctional facility must comply with 100 percent of 41 mandatory standards and 90 percent of 408 non-mandatory standards. ACA's standards reflect the current national policies and procedures with regard to the care, custody and control of adult offenders.
Anthony Ventetuolo, contract monitor for the Central Falls Detention Facility Corporation, stated, "This audit and its subsequent findings reaffirm the Board's confidence in the operation of the facility. Warden Wayne Salisbury, Jr. and his staff do a tremendous job. The staff should be very proud of their accomplishment and for attaining the highest rating in the facility's history."
Cornell Companies has operated the facility since 1993 under a contract with the Central Falls Detention Facility Corporation. Thomas R. Jenkins, Jr., president and chief operating officer, explained, "We are proud of the outstanding operations Warden Salisbury has maintained at the Wyatt Facility. He exemplifies our company's values and is a role model for his staff. All of us at Cornell are proud of this achievement by Wayne and his staff."
About Cornell Companies
Cornell Companies, Inc. is a leading private provider of corrections, treatment and educational services outsourced by federal, state and local governmental agencies. Cornell provides a diversified portfolio of services for adults and juveniles, including incarceration and detention, transition from incarceration, drug and alcohol treatment programs, behavioral rehabilitation and treatment, and grades 3-12 alternative education in an environment of dignity and respect, emphasizing community safety and rehabilitation in support of public policy. Cornell (http://www.cornellcompanies.com) has 67 facilities in 16 states and the District of Columbia, which includes two facilities under development or construction. Cornell has a total service capacity of 17,708, including capacity for 1,514 individuals that will be available upon completion of facilities under development or construction.
The company logo can be found at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1468
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current plans and actual future activities and results of operations may be materially different from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ include, among others, (1) the outcomes of pending putative class action shareholder and derivative lawsuits, and related insurance coverage, (2) Cornell's ability to win new contracts and to execute its growth strategy, (3) risks associated with acquisitions and the integration thereof (including the ability to achieve administrative and operating cost savings and anticipated synergies), (4) the timing and costs of the opening of new programs and facilities or the expansions of existing facilities, (5) Cornell's ability to negotiate contracts at those facilities for which it currently does not have an operating contract, (6) significant charges to expense of deferred costs associated with financing and other projects in development if management determines that one or more of such projects is unlikely to be successfully concluded, (7) results from alternative deployment or sale of facilities such as the New Morgan Academy or the inability to do so, (8) Cornell's ability to complete the construction of the Moshannon Valley Correctional Center as anticipated, (9) changes in governmental policy and/or funding to discontinue or not renew existing arrangements, to eliminate or discourage the privatization of correctional, detention and pre-release services in the United States, or to eliminate rate increase, (10) the availability of financing on terms that are favorable to Cornell, (11) fluctuations in operating results because of occupancy levels and/or mix, competition (including competition from two competitors that are substantially larger than Cornell), increases in cost of operations, fluctuations in interest rates and risks of operations, and (12) the effectiveness of Cornell's internal controls over financial reporting and the ability to certify the effectiveness thereof and to obtain a favorable attestation of the Company's auditors regarding Cornell's assessment of its internal controls.