The large number of immigrants entering the Netherlands in the 1960's is reflected in their disproportionate presence in the penal population. The problems of Turkish and Moroccan inmates are significantly greater than those of the Surinamese and Moluccans because their native cultures differ so much from the Dutch culture. Although Surinamese and Moluccans do not share the whole of Dutch culture, they are familiar with it and speak the language well enough to communicate with staff and other inmates. Problems experienced by the immigrant inmates include uncertainty about expulsion from the country; food tastes and needs, particularly regarding religious dietary requirements; provision for religious services and practices; the language barrier; and differences in culture and lifestyle, in some cases combined with discrimination. Attempts to mitigate these problems are costly in many cases, but significant steps have been made in training staff to be responsive to the distinctive needs and problems of immigrant inmates. 14 references.