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Performance Based Measures System (PBMS)

The Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA) is committed to an effective and secure system for sharing measures of their performance among its membership.  The capability to systematically collect, manage and share data across jurisdictions enables administrators to identify strengths and weaknesses internally and in comparison with others.  It also enables peers to share established and successful methods that enhance performance.  But to do so, we must all be measuring the same thing.  The problem with past attempts to collect and share data has been that we all have different ways of measuring the same thing.  This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to meaningfully make comparisons with others.

Therefore, in January 2001, ASCA assembled a Performance Measures Committee whose charter was twofold:  to develop consistent and meaningful correctional performance measures for adult prisons and community-based programs and to develop an automated system that would enable the collection, management and sharing of that data.

To begin the work, the committee limited analysis to four major correctional responsibility areas:

  • Public Safety

  • Institutional Safety

  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse

  • Offender Profile/Contextual data.

The committee methodically analyzed the four areas describing and defining specific performance indicators, along with their related measures and counting rules.  For example, in the area of public safety, they identified the rate of prison escapes as a performance indicator and noted that escapes vary by circumstance and have to be counted accordingly.  Overall, the committee developed over 100 indicators to measure performance in the four initial areas of scrutiny.  This was a significant accomplishment and it set the stage for agencies across the country to speak in consistent terms about correctional performance.

In addition, the committee surveyed state and federal agencies on their capabilities and willingness to participate in generating and processing performance data for a national repository.  The cooperation was better than expected, thus, allowing the committee to move forward with their automation initiative.

We were fortunate to have the Advance Technologies Group (ATG) provide web and application development services to ASCA on a pro bono basis.  Atul Gupta and his staff have devoted considerable time and energy creating a PBMS web database for the project.  Six pilot states (Washington, Ohio, Iowa, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania) were selected to enter performance indicator data in accordance with developed measures and counting rules into the system developed by ATG.  The system is up and running, and has been populated with data from the six states since late in 2004. 

We have reached a critical point in the development of the PBM System and we have a number of major tasks to complete:

  • Refine the PBMS based on lessons learned from the pilot test of the PBMS prototype by the six states involved

  • Decide who will host the PBMS web database over the long term

  • Expand the number and scope of PBMS standards, measures and key indicators that will be collected

  • Implement PBMS nationwide

We have received continuation funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) which will allow us to address these tasks through 2008.

                  Jeffrey A. Beard, Ph.D. (PA), Chair

                  Performance Measures Committee