The opening chapter provides a historical overview of social-control methods in the American prison, followed by a cost-effectiveness analysis of the increased use of life sentences without parole and capital punishment. In another chapter, a historical analysis of prison designs and management styles bases them in various correctional philosophies. After a chapter that details the search for rationality among prison administrators, a chapter discusses the philosophical issues underlying the rationales for imprisonment and the changes that have recently occurred in U.S. prison systems. An examination of the definition of privatization in corrections, the debate surrounding it, and its current status and future prospects is followed by an assessment of the effectiveness of Canadian prison reforms over the last two decades in reducing recidivism. The concluding chapter provides a general assessment of prison treatment modalities and discusses the treatment of specific behaviors in a correctional setting. Overall, the chapters conclude that correctional reform over the last 20 years has not significantly reduced crime and that the current prison system has a number of problems, including overcrowding and insufficient funding for treatment. Chapter references, subject index.