THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CORRECTIONAL REFORM WAS PUBLISHED IN 1870 BY THE AMERICAN PRISON ASSOCIATION. SINCE THAT TIME THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF MAJOR REFORMULATIONS, THE MORE RECENT OF THESE BEING THE 1973 REPORT ON STANDARDS AND GOALS IN CORRECTIONS, AND THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED 'MANUAL OF STANDARDS FOR ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS,' WHICH CONTAINS OVER 475 STANDARDS COVERING 29 DIFFERENT PRISON FUNCTIONS. REFERENCE TO AND UTILIZATION OF SUCH STANDARDS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY AID IN THE PLANNING OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES BY INSURING THAT ALL NEEDED SERVICES AND FUNCTIONS ARE PROVIDED FOR AND ARE OF HIGH QUALITY. NOT ONLY CAN STANDARDS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THE ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMS, SERVICES, STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATIONS, AND LOCATION, BUT THEY CAN AID IN THE FORMULATION OF A RATIONAL, OBJECTIVE, AND WELL-BALANCED PROGRAM. STANDARDS RELATING TO PRISONERS' RIGHTS, RESEARCH, AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES CAN INSURE THAT NEW OR EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND PLANNING APPROACHES ARE CONDUCTED WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LIMITS. FINALLY, STANDARDS CAN AID PLANNERS IN EDUCATING OTHER PERSONS ABOUT THE ESSENTIALS OF FACILITY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND CAN AID IN GAINING ACCEPTANCE OF PLANS FROM ADMINISTRATORS AND LOCAL AND STATE APPROVING BODIES. WHILE PLANS CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, THEY ARE NOT A PANACEA. STANDARDS CAN HELP IN PROVIDING AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF SERVICES FOR INMATES, BUT THEY CANNOT INSURE THAT A PARTICULAR PHILOSOPHY OR MANAGEMENT MODEL WILL BE FOLLOWED; NOR CAN THEY GUARANTEE SPECIFIED OUTCOMES OR RESULTS FROM PRISON OPERATIONS. FURTHER, STANDARDS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES DESIGN WILL HAVE TO BE APPLIED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A TOTAL SYSTEMS PLANNING APPROACH IF THEY ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE. AN EXCERPT FROM THE 1971 REPORT OF THE CANADIAN WORKING GROUP ON FEDERAL MAXIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTION DESIGN IS REPRODUCED, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOTAL INSTITUTIONAL MILIEU IN PREVENTING INMATE VIOLENCE AND ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERPERSONAL SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH INMATE/STAFF/PROGRAM INTERACTIONS. (JAP)