Information for this survey was obtained primarily from reports of serious incidents sent to the Bureau's Central Office from various institutions. Results show that 70 serious infractions were reported from 1970 through 1973, an average of 17.5 per year during the 4-year period. Sixty-five serious incidents were identified for a 3-year period covering fiscal years 1985, 1987, and 1988 or an average of 21.67 per year. This is a substantial decrease between the two reporting periods in inmate work stoppages and racial disturbances/fights. During 1970-1973, almost 44.3 percent of all serious infractions involved work stoppages, while the current figure fell to 10.8 percent. In the case of racial disturbances, 13 were recorded during 1970-1973 while only 1 was reported during the FY 1985, 1987, and 1988 period. Many of the more recent incidents are concentrated among the Cuban detainee population. If this special problem is excluded, these figures suggest a more benign prison environment marked by better relations between staff and inmates and improved conditions. 1 figure and 3 notes