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                                                                    Exhibit 31.1


CERTIFICATION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO FORM OF RULE 13A-14(A),
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


I, Michael Catalano, certify that:


   1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of America
        Service Group Inc.;

   2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
        statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
        to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
        such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
        covered by this report;

   3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
        information included in this report, fairly present in all material
        respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows
        of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

   4.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
        establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
        defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) for the
        registrant and have:

                  a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or
                  caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
                  under our supervision, to ensure that material information
                  relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
                  subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
                  entities, particularly during the period in which this report
                  is being prepared;

                  b) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                  controls and procedures and presented in this report our
                  conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure
                  controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered
                  by this report based on such evaluation; and

                  c) Disclosed in this report any changes in the registrant's
                  internal control over financial reporting that occurred
                  during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has
                  materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
                  affect, the registrant's internal control over financial
                  reporting; and

   5.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based
        on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial
        reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the
        registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
        functions):

                  a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in
                  the design or operation of internal control over financial
                  reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the
                  registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report
                  financial information; and

                  b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                  management or other employees who have a significant role in
                  the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.


Dated:  November 14, 2003


                                             Name:  /s/ Michael Catalano
                                                    --------------------------
                                             Title: Chairman, President &
                                                    Chief Executive Officer