THE TEXT IS BASED ON A STUDY CONDUCTED BY A TEAM FROM THE SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CORPORATION. THE AUTHORS VISITED 38 PRISONS AND 17 CENTRAL PRISON SYSTEM OFFICES IN 27 STATES, ANALYZED 360 DOCUMENTS, PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS, AND INTERVIEWED AND CORRESPONDED WITH OVER 300 PRISON EXPERTS TO GATHER THE DATA PRESENTED IN THE TEXT. AFTER DISCUSSING THE PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS (PRO AND CON) OF PRISONER EDUCATION, THE TEXT TRACES ITS HISTORY. PRISONER EDUCATION IN THE FUTURE, ITS NEEDS, PROBLEMS, AND PROBABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE EXAMINED. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THE FORM OF A 'BLUE PRINT FOR ACTION' FOR GOVERNMENT AND CIVIC LEADERS. INCLUDED ARE BARRIERS TO PRISONER EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS THAT CAN OR SHOULD BE MADE, AND GENERAL AND SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. THE AUTHORS RECOMMEND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CORRECTIONS FOUNDATION, A NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR CORRECTIONS, TRAVELING FELLOWSHIPS FOR CORRECTIONAL PRACTITIONERS, GUIDELINES FOR CENTRAL RECEPTION, CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF PRISONS IN PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND WORKSHOPS ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY. THE APPENDIXES INCLUDE BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON THE PRINCIPAL CONTRIBUTORS TO THE REPORT, A LIST OF RESOURCE PERSONS FOR THE STAFF, AND A LIST OF PLACES VISITED. THE INTERVIEW SCHEDULE USED BY THE RESEARCHERS DURING INTERVIEWS AND SITE VISITATIONS, THE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS FORM USED TO ANALYZE MATERIALS SUPPLIED BY 76 INSTITUTIONS, AND THE RESULTS OF THE DOCUMENT ANALYSIS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF OVER 300 DOCUMENTS FOLLOWS THE APPENDIXES.