The Year 2000 Problem, or Y2K, phenomenon will occur because many software programs upon which government agencies and private corporations rely use only two digits to represent a year. Therefore, any time-related calculations involving years after 1999 may contain serious errors. This could affect automated functions in correctional agencies, such as inmate records systems that contain birth dates, admission dates, release dates, financial transactions and any other date-related information; sentence/release date calculator programs; personnel/payroll systems; scheduling systems; court date tracking systems; and medical records. The article discusses the seriousness and extent of the Y2K problem, which is additionally complicated by the fact that the year 2000 is a leap year; the origin of the problem in the early days of computers, which involved use of the 80-column punch card and the need to conserve computer storage space; and potential solutions, which may include creating new systems.