Who we are
What started as four residents meeting in a local coffee shop has evolved into a nationwide movement dedicated to safety, transparency, and human rights.
The Carceral Accountability Council (CAC) is a strictly nonpartisan, community-led organization. We do not align with any political party or advocate for specific political platforms. Instead, our focus rests entirely on ensuring government accountability, public safety, and the equitable treatment of all individuals within the carceral system.
Our mission
Our Mission is to hold the carceral system accountable by promoting transparency, justice, and humane treatment through advocacy, public awareness, and education.
Our history
In early 2025, private prison corporation CoreCivic applied to reopen a shuttered detention facility in Leavenworth under a new name: the Midwest Regional Reception Center (MRRC). In response, local community members organized to raise awareness about the facility’s operational history. Prior to its closure in 2021, the facility faced documented challenges regarding unsafe conditions, operational neglect, and inadequate care, drawing significant concern from federal oversight authorities.
Following rigorous public inquiry and legal discussions surrounding local zoning permits, the facility ultimately reopened. It currently operates as a holding center for immigrant detainees.
Our philosophy
The Carceral Accountability Council was born directly out of this community movement to champion institutional transparency. We believe that independent oversight is vital to ensuring that facilities operating within our communities adhere to the highest standards of safety and legal compliance.
Our work transcends political debates. Regardless of personal or political views on immigration policy, the CAC operates on a simple, universal principle: every human being deserves to be treated with dignity, granted access to basic necessities, and monitored under safe, accountable conditions. We serve as a watchful, independent voice to ensure those standards are met.