Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission

There are numerous organizations that have created minimal standards of confinement. The most notable are:

The Department of Justice created “Federal Standards for Prisons in Jails” in 1980. The standards are intended to provide guidance to the litigating divisions of the Department of Justice when they are engaged in cases involving Federal, State, or local correctional systems.

• NCJ Federal Standards for Prisons and Jails

The American Bar Association created “Treatment for Prisoners” In 1981, and the ABA House of Delegates approved the “Legal Status of Prisoner Standards” published with commentary in 1983. The most recent standards were updated in 2010.

• ABA Standards for Criminal Justice – Treatment of Prisoners

The American Correctional Association created an accreditation process in 1978. The most recent standards were updated in 2021. The ACA adds and adjusts standards based on lawsuits across the country.

• Performance Based Standards for Adult Correctional Institutions: 5th Edition March 2021