Highly recidivist offenders show global characteristics that include an excessive need for stimulation, low tolerance of frustration, rigid and compartmentalized thinking, and an inability to process affect. These characterisitics, in turn, contribute to intolerance of boredom, impulsiveness, difficulty in delaying gratification, poor decisionmaking, irresponsibility, manipulative coping strategies, lack of trust, and a lack of expression or management of feelings. These deficits explain much of chronic criminal attitudes and behavior. Because these deficits contribute to pervasive denial, the first step in treatment is recognition of the problem. Once problems and the need to change have been identified, vigilance must be established in monitoring and managing these problems. Treatment aimed at ameliorating the deficits should focus on training in communication, affect expression and management, basic life skills, value reorientation, decisionmaking, and self-monitoring skills. In addition, treatment should help offenders develop trust and caring and teach them to live with reduced stimulation and find other outlets for their need for excitement. 23 references.