THE FIRST SECTION TREATS MENTAL DISORDERS AND CORRECTIONS, DESCRIBING THOSE PSYCHIATRIC SYNDROMES MOST COMMONLY SEEN IN CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS. THE GENERAL BACKGROUND FOR EACH SYNDROME IS DISCUSSED, AS WELL AS THE TYPE OF OFFENSE MOST APT TO BE COMMITTED BY AN INDIVIDUAL IN EACH DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY. SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES TO BE USED BY THE CORRECTIONS WORKER WITH THESE CLIENTS IN CONTRAST TO NON-MENTALLY ILL CLIENTS ARE DESCRIBED. THE DISORDERS TREATED INCLUDE MENTAL RETARDATION, ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROMES, SCHIZOPHRENIA, MAJOR AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, PARANOID STATES, NEUROSES, PERSONALITY DISORDERS, SEXUAL DEVIANCY, AND BEHAVIOR DISORDERS OF ADOLESCENCE. SECTION II DEALS WITH INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES BEST SUITED TO OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM THIS SPECIAL TYPE OF CLIENT, BOTH FOR THE PRESENTENCE REPORT AND IN POSTDISPOSITIONAL CONTACTS. CHAPTERS TREAT THE PRINCIPLES OF INTERVIEWING, THE ART OF LISTENING, THE CONDUCT OF THE INTERVIEW, AND PROBLEMS OF DANGEROUSNESS AND SUICIDE. THE AUTHOR PROVIDES LIKELY INDICATORS OF POTENTIAL VIOLENCE, DESCRIBING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MENTAL DISORDERS AND DANGEROUSNESS; THE USE OF DEVELOPMENTAL FACTORS AS PREDICTIVE OF DANGEROUSNESS; CHARACTEROLOGICALLY AGGRESSIVE, ANTISOCIAL, AND PSYCHOTIC INDIVIDUALS; METHODS FOR DEFUSING POTENTIAL VIOLENCE; AND PROBLEMS OF SUICIDE IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS. A FINAL SECTION DELINEATES THE EFFECTS OF SHORT-TERM USE OR ABUSE OF COMMON STREET DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND COMMONLY USED PSYCHIATRIC DRUGS ON ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR. THE ACUTE AND CHRONIC EFFECTS OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS (INCLUDING ALCOHOL), NARCOTICS AND STIMULANTS, HALLUCINOGENS, AND PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ARE DETAILED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).