content: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549
  
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
  
                CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                     THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  October 15, 1996
  
  
                            AMERICA SERVICE GROUP INC.
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
  
  
                                     DELAWARE
                  (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
  
  
  
            0-19673                             51-0332317
     (Commission File No.)                   (I.R.S. Employer
                                            Identification No.)
  
             Two Penns Way, New Castle, Delaware  19720
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
  
  
  
                           (302) 322-8200
        (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
  
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  --------------------
  
  
  On October 15, 1996, the Registrant issued the following press release:
  
  
                 AMERICA SERVICE GROUP ANNOUNCES CONTRACT CHANGES
  
  NEW CASTLE, DE (October 15, 1996) -- America Service Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ASGR)
  has just been advised by the Georgia Department of Corrections that the
  Department intends to begin a new intergovernmental partnership with the
  Medical College of Georgia effective July 1, 1997 for the provision of medical
  services to the state's inmate population.  Until such time, Prison Health
  Services, Inc., an America Service Group subsidiary, will continue to provide
  these services under the terms of its current agreement which will expire June
  30, 1997.  Prison Health Services provides healthcare to approximately 35,000
  inmates in over 50 facilities throughout the state.
  
  
  America Service Group is a leading national provider of correctional
  healthcare services in the United States.  America Service Group contracts
  with state, country and local government agencies to provide a wide range of
  on-site healthcare programs as well as off-site hospitalization and specialty
  outpatient care.  Its 36 contracts cover more than 80,000 inmates in 150
  facilities located in more than 14 states.  America Service Group also
  provides mail order pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and institutional
  pharmacy services to its contract sites and private sector customers.  The
  Company employs over 3,000 medical professional and support staff nationally.
  
  
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
  
  AMERICA SERVICE GROUP INC.
  
  
  
  /s/ SCOTT L. MERCY
  ------------------------------------
  By:  Scott L. Mercy
       President and Chief Executive
       Officer
  
  Dated:    October 21, 1996
  
  
  
  
  /s/MARGARET O. HARRISON
  ------------------------------------
  By:  Margaret O. Harrison
       Senior Vice President and
       Chief Financial Officer
  
  Dated:    October 21, 1996
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "AMERICA SERVICE GROUP 8 K FILED 10/10/96", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3074}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERICA SERVICE GROUP INC /DE", "cik": "0000877476", "assigned-sic": "8090", "irs-number": "510332317", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-19673", "film-number": "96646013"}, "business-address": {"street1": "TWO PENNS WAY STE 200", "city": "NEW CASTLE", "state": "DE", "zip": "19720", "phone": "3023328200"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                     THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  October 15, 1996
  
                            AMERICA SERVICE GROUP INC.
              (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
  
                                     DELAWARE
                  (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
  
            0-19673                             51-0332317
     (Commission File No.)                   (I.R.S. Employer
                                            Identification No.)
  
             Two Penns Way, New Castle, Delaware  19720
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
                           (302) 322-8200
        (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
  
  Item 5.  Other Events
  --------------------
  
  On October 15, 1996, the Registrant issued the following press release:
  
                 AMERICA SERVICE GROUP ANNOUNCES CONTRACT CHANGES
  
  NEW CASTLE, DE (October 15, 1996) -- America Service Group Inc. (NASDAQ: ASGR)
  has just been advised by the Georgia Department of Corrections that the
  Department intends to begin a new intergovernmental partnership with the
  Medical College of Georgia effective July 1, 1997 for the provision of medical
  services to the state's inmate population.  Until such time, Prison Health
  Services, Inc., an America Service Group subsidiary, will continue to provide
  these services under the terms of its current agreement which will expire June
  30, 1997.  Prison Health Services provides healthcare to approximately 35,000
  inmates in over 50 facilities throughout the state.
  
  America Service Group is a leading national provider of correctional
  healthcare services in the United States.  America Service Group contracts
  with state, country and local government agencies to provide a wide range of
  on-site healthcare programs as well as off-site hospitalization and specialty
  outpatient care.  Its 36 contracts cover more than 80,000 inmates in 150
  facilities located in more than 14 states.  America Service Group also
  provides mail order pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and institutional
  pharmacy services to its contract sites and private sector customers.  The
  Company employs over 3,000 medical professional and support staff nationally.
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
  
  AMERICA SERVICE GROUP INC.
  
  /s/ SCOTT L. MERCY
  ------------------------------------
  By:  Scott L. Mercy
       President and Chief Executive
       Officer
  
  Dated:    October 21, 1996
  
  /s/MARGARET O. HARRISON
  ------------------------------------
  By:  Margaret O. Harrison
       Senior Vice President and
       Chief Financial Officer
  
  Dated:    October 21, 1996