Sentencing philosophy and practice have experienced major changes since the mid-1970's, resulting in major impacts on corrections. From the Progressive Era in criminal justice through the start of the 1970's, every State and the Federal System relied on indeterminate sentencing structure. This shifted in recent decades to an emphasis on the just deserts rationale emphasizing retribution and the nature of the offense. These policies contributed to unprecedented growth in prison populations, and this trend is likely to continue well into the 1990's. Sentencing policies in individual jurisdictions are unlikely to affect total crime rates. However, future sentencing reforms may provide a sensible, just, and effective system of sanctions to the extent that they consider prison bed space to be a finite resource, restore rehabilitation as a justification for sentencing, and support the trend toward structured parole decisionmaking. 45 references