Development of outcome-based performance systems of management for correctional agencies has been an important initiative for the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) since the early 1990s. It was envisioned as a means of assessing performance across jurisdictions, promoting the use of performance-based management by correctional agencies, and improving the planning and management capacities of correctional organizations across the nation. Our specific project objectives were threefold: 1) identify a series of correctional measures that are considered to be the most crucial aspects of quality incarceration; 2) develop a set of indicators that reflect the essence of each measure; and, 3) define each indicator to allow for standard application of the measures across jurisdictions. Recognizing the complexity and scope of the potential performance measures for correctional agencies, for the purposes of this project, we focused on measures of public safety, institutional safety, treatment and programming, and contextual data. This report describes our work to date, identifies the performance indicators developed by the subcommittee, summarizes a preliminary assessment of state correctional agencies’ capacity to participate, and outlines the next steps for continued development of a national performance measurement system.
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