DESIGNED AS A SYSTEMATIC GATHERING OF INFORMATION ON THE COMMON AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, THE CENSUS ESTABLISHED A UNIFORM DATA BASE THAT CAN BE EXPANDED UPON IN FUTURE STUDIES. FACILITIES ARE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION, AS WELL AS BY THEIR SIZE AND SECURITY CAPABILITY. WITHIN THESE DIVISIONS, SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES AMONG THE INSTITUTIONS' STAFF PERSONNEL, FINANCES, PHYSICAL PLANT, AND BASIC AND REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS ARE ANALYZED. BOTH NARRATIVE AND TABULAR DATA ARE PRESENTED. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A COPY OF THE CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE AND 164 TABLES OF DETAILED STATISTICAL DATA. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) (SNI ABSTRACT)...ELW