Political changes that occurred during 1989 to 1991 are still reverberating worldwide today. In particular, growing pains are being felt within criminal justice systems on an international scale as more and more countries attempt to reform their justice systems with an eye on human dignity and rights. Major changes are occurring especially within central and eastern Europe. This report reviews the status of these changes as it reviews the second HEUNI survey of the prison systems in this region. Although important changes have been made in the legislative framework, many problems remain within the prison system. Among these are the problems of limited resources for improving conditions, delays in the passage of new penal codes, few alternatives to institutionalization, and problems maintaining adequate staff. Coupled with these difficulties is the fact that prison populations in this area of Europe are among the largest in all of Europe, creating major dilemmas for prison administrators. The author offers statistics on prison populations by country. Overcrowding thus remains one of the most pervasive problems and is in need of quick redress. However, the author notes that changes continue to move forward and cooperation with these changes throughout the continent will lead to improved practice in all European prisons. Tables, references