MANY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE LOWERING GOALS AND STANDARDS TO ENSURE ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE, AND THERE IS A SIMILAR TENDENCY AMONG SOME CORRECTIONAL PRACTITITIONERS TO SUPPORT THIS ACTIVITY FOR ECONOMICAL OR POLITICAL REASONS. STANDARDS REFER TO ESTABLISHED AND ACCEPTED MEASURES OF SUCH THINGS AS THE EXTENT, QUANTITY, QUALITY, OR VALUE OF AN ORGANIZATIONS' PRODUCT. LOWERING EXPECTATIONS WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE SENSE OF DIRECTION AND SERIOUSNESS IN CORRECTIONS, SUGGEST A LACK OF COMMITMENT TO INSTITUTIONAL GOALS, UNDERMINE THE WORTH OF INMATES AS PERSONS CAPABLE OF REHABILITATION, AND RESULT IN BOREDOM, AND MISUSE OR NONUSE OF STAFF AND INMATE POTENTIAL. THE CULMINATION OF THESE FACTORS WOULD BE A MEDIOCRE ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH FAILURE IS EXPECTED. (DAG)