Guidelines examine the stages of program development, pilot testing, and implementations. They cover the decision to develop a classification system, commitment of agency top personnel, selection of the project planning staff, the role of classification system planners, development of system goals and objectives, appointment of an advisory group, and identification of legal issues. Also considered are selection of an approach to system development, preparation of the development and implementation plans, pilot testing, and the development of policies and procedures. The importance of training staff at all levels to program implementation and acceptance is discussed. Appendixes include case studies of classification systems in Kentucky, Missouri, and the Federal prison systems, and a comparison of decisionmaking factors used by five major objective prison classification systems. Figures, tables, and 71-item bibliography.