Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) comes from two distinct fields, cognitive theory and behavioral theory. Behaviorism focuses on external behaviors and disregards internal mental processes. The cognitive approach, by contrast, emphasizes the importance of internal thought processes. In combining these two therapies CBT focuses on changing internal beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes as a means of changing specific adverse behaviors. The first chapter of this publication discusses the increasing need for psychiatric and behavioral treatment in the Nation's prisons and jails in order to reduce reoffending upon reentry into the community. The second chapter explores the history of CBT and explains its principles. The next three chapters review the literature on cognitive-behavioral treatments for persons under the management and supervision of the criminal justice system. Six CBT programs currently in general use are described: Aggression Replacement Training, Moral Reconation Therapy, Thinking for a Change, Relapse Prevention Therapy, Reasoning and Rehabilitation, and Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment: Strategies for Self-Improvement and Change. The sixth chapter addresses "real world" issues that must be addressed when providing CBT for offenders, such as tailoring CBT treatment according to the diverse backgrounds of offenders and the treatment of offenders with serious mental disorders. This chapter concludes with a discussion of two strategies that have been shown to improve CBT outcomes for offenders. One strategy involves targeting treatment to the particular needs of each offender; and the second strategy is a "manualized" approach that gives practitioners a precise curriculum to follow in the course of treatment. 3 exhibits, 64 references, and 53 suggestions for additional reading