Dubai correctional system earns Global Eagle Award from ACA

Dubai's correctional and penal institutions have received the Global Eagle Award, a prestigious distinction given by the American Correctional Association (ACA), after its facilities met the organisation's accreditation standards in full.

Dubai Police said the emirate is the first in the region, and only the third worldwide, to receive the award, which recognises correctional systems that reach the ACA's top accreditation benchmark.

The award caps a run of accreditations dating back to 2020. The Central Correctional and Penal Institution was the first to qualify, earning ACA accreditation that year before renewing it in 2023. The Women's Correctional and Penal Institution followed the same year, becoming what Dubai Police described as the first women's correctional facility anywhere to gain ACA accreditation with full compliance.

The Misdemeanours and Minor Offences Institution was the most recent to qualify, a result that pushed Dubai's correctional system over the threshold for the Global Eagle Award.

Lieutenant General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, linked the award to the UAE's broader human rights strategy, saying it demonstrates that the emirate's rehabilitation system meets international standards while safeguarding the dignity and rights of those in custody. He credited the staff involved in the accreditation process and said the force remains committed to aligning its programmes with both UAE law and internationally recognised practice.

Brigadier Sultan Al Owais, Director of the General Department of Correctional and Penal Institutions, said the distinction reflects sustained investment in rehabilitation infrastructure aimed at reintegrating inmates into society. He pointed to healthcare, education and vocational training as central pillars of the system, alongside personal development programmes and digital learning tools.

According to Dubai Police, the system also accommodates religious practice, allows inmates to continue their education while incarcerated, and partners with government and private-sector organisations to support financially vulnerable individuals during and after their sentences.

Colonel Hamad Rashid Al Marri, Deputy Director of the General Department of Correctional and Penal Institutions, said the accreditation drive was launched specifically to measure Dubai's institutions against international best practice, with the aim of lifting operational performance and service quality over time.

The ACA is among the most widely referenced accrediting bodies in corrections globally, assessing institutions on criteria spanning safety, security, inmate welfare, rehabilitation and management practices.