TO THAT EXTENT THE RATE OF DEVIATION FOUND IN A COMMUNITY IS AT LEAST IN PART A FUNCTION OF THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF ITS SOCIAL CONTROL APPARATUS (1). THIS PAPER BRINGS TOGETHER SOME OF THE MANY REFERENCES TO, AND EXAMPLES OF, LOGISTIC PRESSURES ON THE TREATMENT AND IDENTIFICATION OF CRIMINALS, AND DEVELOPS A THEORETICAL MODEL WHICH MAY HELP TO LOCATE SOME OF THE PROCESSES INVOLVED. IT IS PRODUCTIVE TO VIEW THE NETWORK OF CRIMINAL-PROCESSING, OR LAW-ENFORCING AGENCIES OF ANY INDUSTRIALISED NATION AS A TENSION-MANAGEMENT WORKING CAPACITIES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF AGENCY WITHIN THE SYSTEM. IN REACTION TO THESE TENSIONS, VARIOUS TENSION-RELIEVING MEASURES MAY BE ADOPTED WHICH HAVE IMPORTANT CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CRIME RATE OF THE COMMUNITY, THE DISTRIBUTION OF TREATMENT FOR OFFENDERS, AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM ITSELF. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)