Many States are experiencing a crisis as a result of their inability to maintain the systems developed to address crime; public concerns about violence continue to escalate. The current systems often make little sense to legislators and policymakers when considered from the scientific, rational-empirical perspective commonly used for problemsolving. In this situation is increasingly important to understand the criminal justice system in terms of classical anthropological perspectives such as a holistic, systemic viewpoint; an emphasis on process; and an appreciation of the values and meanings on which activity is based. The author's work in Colorado has revealed that behavior in the criminal justice system is often based less on legislated rules than on common anthropological issues such as informal, unwritten traditions and understanding. It also became apparent that the meaning imputed to the criminal justice system's activities depend largely on the person's position in the system or society; confusion about goals is common. Resolution of these goal confusions will require policymaking and policy analysis at the State level. Until decisionmakers understand the values and meanings toward which rationality is bent, as well as the processes that rest on these values and meanings, it will be impossible to resolve our current criminal justice crisis. Photograph