Among camps of less than 50 beds capacity, private, disadvantaged, and handicapped each were sponsors for a quarter of the camps; religious groups sponsored 17 percent and one Boy Scout camp represented the other 8 percent. Figure 5 shows the distribution of sponsors within each of the several groupings of camp size. Religious camps dominated in most groupings of size capacities above 50. The exception was in the 150 to 199 capacity in which the Scouting and Camp Fire Girls camps constituted 40 percent of the camps. While about 40 percent of all camps were sponsored by religious organizations, only 36 percent of such camps had accreditation of any kind. This is demonstrated in Figure 6. Nearly all Scouting and Camp Fire Girl sponsored camps claimed accreditation of some kind, while 60 to 70 percent of other kinds of camps were accredited by some organization. Only 11 percent of agriculture/homemaking camps and 20 percent of handicapped/medical camps were accredited, but the numbers of these kinds of camps in the sample are much too small for definitive conclusions. Table 4 shows that there were differences in sponsorship among the several areas of the country: TABLE 4. PERCENTAGE OF TYPES OF SPONSORS IN EACH OF THE SAMPLE AREAS 1. There were more camps of the Scouting-type organizations in the West than elsewhere, and fewer in the Laws group than in the Comparison group. 2. There were more religious sponsored camps in the Laws group than in the Comparison. 3. Among the camps of "other" types of sponsors, there were very few (6 percent) in the West and a large percentage (44 percent) in the Comparison sample. In fact, there were twice as many in the Comparison as in the Laws sample. 4. There were more private camps in the Laws group than in the Comparison group. In themselves, these differences have little meaning. However, there are implications for interpreting any differences between areas on other questions For example, the higher number of religious camps in the Laws group as opposed to the Comparison group could partially account for the difference in percentage of camps accredited in these two areas since camps of religious sponsors are the least likely to be accredited. Permits and inspections.—One of the major items of interest in the Camp Profile was to determine the extent to which camps are required to obtain permits for their operation, and the level of government at which permits were issued. Table 5 summarizes the major information on this point. While several kinds of permits were required, in most cases the number of camps that needed them was quite small. At least a few camps in every sample area said they required the following kinds of permits: Health Water or sewage Kitchen or food handlers Camp or temporary residence Almost a third of the camps in the South/East area and in the Comparison area were required to have State health permits; 8 or 9 percent needed health permits issued at lower levels of government. Only 2 percent of the camps in the West area and 7 percent of those in the Laws group were required to have State health permits. However, camps in these areas reported needing "Camp" or "temporary residence" permits. In the West, 19 percnt reported needing such permits issued by the state, in the Laws group, 16 percent reported need ing such permits issued by the State and 12 percent reported needing countyissued permits of this type. The other significant factor in permit requirements is found naturally enough in the Laws group. Michigan requires a "child care" permit and camps in other Laws states require permits issued by the State or county. TABLE 5. PERCENTAGE OF CAMPS IN EACH OF 4 SAMPLE GROUPS WHICH INDICATED A PERMIT OF A GIVEN TYPE WAS REQUIRED Permits were issued at all levels of government as indicated in Table 5, but most were granted at the State and county levels. The percentage of camps indicating permit requirements at local and Federal governmental levels, as well as permits issued by national organizations and other miscellaneous organizations, was minimal. Permits may be issued which require nothing more than the payment of a fee; other permits require an inspection before they are issued. Over two-thirds of the camps in this study were required to have an inspection to receive a health or an operating type of permit (such as pools or temporary residence). However, there were wide variations associated with area of the country and other characteristics of camps as can be seen in Figure 7. Most notable is the |