During the past decade, because of crowding in most State and county correctional systems, practitioners have investigated alternative programs for offenders, and boot camp programs represent one such alternative. Based on the belief that short, intensive, and extremely harsh programs may give structure to the lives of offenders and may rehabilitate them, the number of boot camps has rapidly increased since the first boot camps opened in Georgia in 1983 and in Oklahoma in 1984. As of January 1993, over 7,000 beds were devoted to boot camp programs, including 65 adult boot camp programs in 27 States, 19 juvenile boot camp programs in 8 States, and 2 Federal boot camp programs in 2 States. The average program stay of an offender in these camps is 107 days. Boot camp programs are designed to rehabilitate offenders, reduce crowding, develop work skills, deter offenders, provide drug education, offer academic and vocational education, reduce recidivism, provide punishment and a safe prison environment, and offer drug treatment. Standards for adult boot camp programs, developed by the American Correctional Association, are presented that focus on administration and management (general administration, fiscal management, personnel, training and staff development, case records, information systems and research, and citizen involvement and volunteers), the physical plant, facility operations and services, and offender programs. Appendixes contain guidelines for boot camp security levels, information on what constitutes a qualified individual for safety and sanitation inspections in boot camps, guidelines for the control and use of flammable and toxic substances, and a glossary.