THIS PAPER REVIEWS SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH DEALING WITH INMATE SOCIAL STRATIFICATION SYSTEMS AMONG AMERICAN ADULT MALE PRISONERS, THEIR BRITISH COUNTERPARTS, AND AMERICAN ADULT FEMALE PRISONERS AND ATTEMPTS TO TRANSLATE THE FINDINGS INTO THEORETICALLY SOUND POLICY IMPLICATIONS FOR AT LEAST SOME CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. A MODEL, BASED ON THE SCARCE RESOURCES CREATED BY THE DEPRIVATIONS OF IMPRISONMENT, IS PRESENTED TO EXPLAIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SYSTEM OF SOCIAL STRATIFICATION IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. VARIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF THIS MODEL FOR CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION POLICY ARE OUTLINED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THOSE ATTEMPTING ANY SHIFTS IN THE PRIMARY ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS OF AN INSTITUTION (USUALLY CLASSIFIED AS CUSTODIAL, TREATMENT, OR TRAINING) SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT INMATES HOLDING PROMINENT POSITIONS IN THE INMATE SOCIAL SYSTEM HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.