THIS PAPER PRESENTS A RE-EVALUATION OF THE AUTHOR'S POSITION ON THE ISSUE OF A PRISON CONSTRUCTION MORATORIUM. IT DISCUSSES THE EXPLOSION OF PRISON POPULATIONS IN RECENT YEARS, THE INEVITABLE DETERIORATION OF FACILITIES RESULTING FROM SEVERE OVERCROWDING OF OUTMODED FACILITIES, AND THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW 'HARD LINE' IN CORRECTIONAL PHILOSOPHY ESPOUSED BY MANY WRITERS TODAY. A SYSTEMATIC RE-THINKING OF THE CONSTRUCTION ISSUE INVOLVED THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF MUCH DATA, ALL OF THE SORT AVAILABLE TO MOST CORRECTIONAL DECISIONMAKING. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA REVEALED A NUMBER OF SURPRISING FACTS CONCERNING THE USE OF INCARCERATION AS A VEHICLE FOR CONTROLLING CRIME. IN LIGHT OF THESE THE AUTHOR BELIEVES A MORATORIUM SHOULD BE DECLARED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)....BDS