The Association of State Correctional Administrators began originally in 1970 as a group of prison directors who shared issues with one another during the annual American Correctional Association meetings.  The Association (ASCA) was formally organized, staffed, and incorporated as a New York State not-for-profit corporation in 1985. It has been designated a tax-exempt entity by the IRS.

ASCA is dedicated to the improvement of correctional services and practices through promoting and facilitating:

• The exchange of ideas and philosophies at the top administrative level of correctional planning and policy-making;
• The advancement of correctional techniques, particularly in the areas of development, design of correctional facilities, staff training, and correctional management facilities;
• Public support for, and understanding of, the criminal justice system with particular emphasis on the corrections function and the interest and acceptance by the community of its responsibility for the prevention of delinquency and the reintegration of persons who have come into conflict with the law;
• Research in correctional practices, anti-social behavior, causes of crime and delinquency and cooperation in such research;
• The development and application of correctional standards and accreditation;
• The fostering of legislative and other measures designed to accomplish this objective;
• The exchange of uniform correctional performance based data among its member agencies for the purposes of perspective and comparisons at facility and agency levels; and
• The exchange of information with international agencies and organizations interested in correctional programs, and the undertaking of such work and projects of an allied character, as may be authorized by the membership.