THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM OBJECTIVES WERE PROVISION OF CORRECTIONS WITH MEASURABLE STANDARDS OF OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN OBJECTIVE EVALUATION PROCEDURE USING THE STANDARDS. SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES REACHED IN 1979 ARE THE COMPLETION OF A SERIES OF STANDARDS FOR ADULT AND JUVENILE CORRECTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SECOND HALF OF THE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROGRAM BY INITIATION OF JUVENILE ACTIVITIES. ESTABLISHED IN 1974, THE COMMISSION MAINTAINS A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION (ACA). COMMISSION MEMBERS ARE ELECTED BY THE ACA FOR 5-YEAR TERMS, MEETING 6 TIMES ANNUALLY. THE COMMISSION'S 10 PUBLISHED MANUALS CONSTITUTE THE FIRST AND ONLY SET OF COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL CRITERIA FOR CORRECTIONS. REVISIONS ARE MADE BY THE ACA IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMISSION. BY THE END OF 1979, 400 CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES WERE FORMALLY INVOLVED IN THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 25 PERCENT OF ALL ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. ACCREDITATION REQUIRES 6 TO 18 MONTHS AND LASTS FOR A 3-YEAR PERIOD. ON-SITE INSPECTION TO ASSURE CONTINUED COMPLIANCE ARE BASED ON A SYSTEM OF INTERNAL SELF-EVALUATION BY THE AGENCY IN QUESTION. ACCREDITATION OFFERS THE MECHANISMS FOR SYSTEMICALLY UPGRADING CORRECTIONS AND VERIFYING GOOD CORRECTIONAL PRACTICE. CORRECTIONAL IMPROVEMENT HAS BEEN A RESPONSE IN RECENT YEARS TO JUDICIAL ACTIVITY IN THE FORM OF COURT ORDERS AGAINST INDIVIDUAL FACILITIES. THE COMMISSION HAS PROVIDED THE STANDARDS TO ESTABLISH CERTAIN LIFE, HEALTH, AND SAFETY MINIMA AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING TRAGIC DEFICIENCIES. LISTS OF COMMISSION AND ACA STANDARDS COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ACCREDITED AGENCIES AND AGENCIES PARTICIPATING IN ACCREDITATION, AS WELL AS THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE COMMISSION ARE SUPPLIED.