The article reviews 25 years of changing approaches to corrections. The early 1960s and 1970s saw wide support for the medical model, which emphasized treatment of offenders to rectify their problems so they could become well and live crime-free. Next was the "nothing works" era, when elected officials and the public were loathe to continue funding for programs that even professionals in the corrections field claimed were not effective. This resulted in a new interest in managing the criminal justice process efficiently. Professionals acknowledged that they could not change offenders; their role was to provide options and opportunities so offenders could change themselves. In recent years the emphasis has been on public safety over all else, with corrections managers adopting a non-risk-taking approach, which is not likely to foster advancements in knowledge and professional development. The article discusses possible future developments in corrections management theory and practice.