THE DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE HISTORY OF FEDERAL CORRECTIONS INFORMATION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS, WAYS IN WHICH THE STATES MIGHT RELATE TO THOSE EFFORTS, AND THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF THE OFFENDER-BASED STATE CORRECTIONS INFORMATION SYSTEM (OBSCIS) AND THE OBSCIS BASIC SOFTWARE PACKAGE. THE FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM'S EXPERIENCE WITH OFFENDER-BASED INFORMATION SYSTEMS ILLUSTRATES THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE THE INSTALLATION OF THE FIRST FEDERAL INMATE DATA SYSTEM IN 1961. PLANS TO IMPLEMENT A NEW CORRECTIONS INFORMATION CALLED SENTRY, WHICH WILL SERVE THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF THE ENTIRE FEDERAL SYSTEM, ARE NOTED. SENTRY WILL PROVIDE DIRECT INFORMATION SERVICES TO LINE PERSONNEL WHO BOTH RECORD AND USE INMATE DATA IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES. SENTRY INCLUDES THE BASIC FUNCTIONAL CONCEPTS OF THE FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM'S EARLIEST COMPUTERIZED SYSTEMS AND ADDS SUCH FUNCTIONS AS AUTOMATED SENTENCE COMPUTATION, AUTOMATED RELEASE PLANNING, ON-LINE INTAKE PROCESSING WITH IMMEDIATE GENERATION OF HARD-COPY SUPPORT DOCUMENTS, AND INMATE TRUST FUND ACCOUNTING. FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF SENTRY IS EXPECTED BY THE SUMMER OF 1980. IT IS NOTED THAT OBSCIS SHOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR STATE CORRECTIONS AGENCIES TO OBTAIN USEFUL INMATE DATA WITHOUT BECOMING EMBROILED IN THE EXPENSE AND COMPLEXITY OF SYSTEM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT, FOR BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE CORRECTIONS, THE PRIMARY EMPHASIS IN INFORMATION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE ON MEETING THE INFORMATION NEEDS OF ALL EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SERVICE CONTACTS WITH INMATES. CORRECTIONS PERSONNEL COULD THEN FOCUS ON INMATES AND SPEND LESS OF THEIR TIME ON PAPERWORK. STATE AGENCIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO LEARN FROM THE FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM'S EXPERIENCE IN INFORMATION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT. (LKM)