THE SELF-HELP PROGRAMS HAVE GROWN OUT OF THE HUMAN POTENTIAL AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION BRANCH OF PSYCHOLOGY AND ARE BEING TRIED IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. MOST OF THE THERAPIES ORIGINATED IN CALIFORNIA BUT HAVE BECOME JUST AS POPULAR IN OTHER URBAN STATES. THE PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO INTERVENE IN PRISONERS' LIVES IN A POWERFUL AND POSITIVE WAY, CLAIM DRAMATIC SUCCESSES. ALL EMPHASIZE THE ABILITY OF INDIVIDUALS TO CHANGE THEIR LOT AND TO REMAKE THEIR LIVES TO THEIR OWN SATISFACTION. THE INVERVENTIONS INVOLVE CREATING A SETTING, A MOTIVE, AND A GUIDE FOR CHANGE. THE MOST POPULAR FORMS OF THERAPY ARE THE FOLLOWING: TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION; EST (ERHARD SEMINARS TRAINING--A 60-HOUR 'EXPERIENCE'); REALITY THERAPY (WHICH STARTS FROM THE PREMISE THAT OFFENDERS AND THE MENTALLY ILL SUFFER FROM THE SAME MALADY--IRRESPONSIBILITY); AND TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS. THE BASIC TENETS AND TECHNIQUES OF THESE THERAPIES ARE EXPLAINED, AND EXAMPLES OF THEIR APPLICATION IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRISONS ARE DESCRIBED. THE 'CAFETERIA-STYLE' PROGRAM AT THE DRUG ABUSE UNIT OF THE FEDERAL PRISON AT LOMPOC, CALIF., IS DISCUSSED. INMATES ARE OFFERED NINE DIFFERENT SELF-HELP PROGRAMS, EACH LASTING 12 WEEKS, AND MUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE FOUR. THE MOST POPULAR THERAPIES ARE ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING AND ANGER MANAGEMENT. SPECIAL ATTENTION IS DIRECTED ALSO TO THE ASKLEPIEION PROGRAM, WHICH WAS STARTED AT THE U.S. PENITENTIARY AT MARION, ILL., AND HAS SPREAD TO SEVERAL OTHER INSTITUTIONS. ASKLEPIEION (NAMED AFTER THE GREEK GOD OF HEALING) USES TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS AND SYNANON'S 'GAME' APPROACH TO THERAPY. ALSO DESCRIBED IS LOMPOC'S EXPERIMENT WITH 'ANTITHERAPY THERAPY', WHICH ATTEMPTS TO SHOW THAT MEANINGLESS, MECHANICAL EXERCISES WOULD BRING THE SAME RESULTS AS SELF-HELP REHABILITATIVE APPROACHES. PHOTOGRAPHS OF INMATES INVOLVED IN VARIOUS THERAPIES ILLUSTRATE THE ARTICLE.