SUCH GENERAL SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AS STATUS AND ROLE, SOCIALIZATION PROCESSES, COMPLIANCE STRUCTURES, NORMS, AND VALUES ARE RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO A STUDY OF THE PRISON BY THE VARIOUS AUTHORS. THIS BOOK ALSO PROVIDES THE STUDENT WITH THE STATUS OF SUCH CURRENT ISSUES IN THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS AS TREATMENT AND ITS APPROPRIATENESS IN PRISON, ALTERNATIVES TO CONFINEMENT, RACISM, AND HOMOSEXUALITY. THE INITIAL SECTION OF THE BOOK FOCUSES ON THE PRISON AS A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION. THE SECOND SECTION FOCUSES ON A SET OF RECURRING CONCERNS IN THE CORRECTIONAL LITERATURE DEALING WITH PRISON ORGANIZATION: HOW THE INMATE SOCIAL SYSTEM IS CREATED AND MAINTAINED AND HOW INMATES ARE SOCIALIZED INTO IT. THIS SECTION ALSO INCLUDES SELECTIONS DESCRIBING THE OFTEN NEGLECTED INMATE PERSPECTIVE ON THE PRISON AND CORRECTIONAL PROCESSES. THE THIRD SECTION OF THIS BOOK FOCUSES ON TREATMENT, ITS NATURE AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS. FINALLY, THE TEXT EXAMINES ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES IN CORRECTIONS. IT IS ARGUED THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE TYPICAL PRISON IMPEDES TREATMENT AND THAT IT CAN BE BEST ACHIEVED IN THE COMMUNITY. A VARIETY OF ALTERNATIVES ARE PRESENTED THAT ARE PERCEIVED AS HAVING A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR REHABILITATING THE OFFENDER, POTENTIAL WHICH AT THIS POINT MUST STILL BE TAKEN ON FAITH. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...DMC