TWO SETS OF CONSTRAINTS ARE IDENTIFIED: THOSE DERIVING FROM THE REFORM CONTEXT AND THOSE DERIVING FROM THE THEORIES OR CONCEPTS USED TO ORGANIZE REFORM EFFORTS. THE REFORM CONTEXT REFERS TO THE FACTORS OVER WHICH A CHANGE AGENT MAY HAVE NO CONTROL AND/OR WHICH ARE NOT BEING ALTERED AS PART OF THE REFORM. THESE INCLUDE SUCH THINGS AS TECHNOLOGY, STATE LAWS AND POLICIES, PATTERNS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND OPPORTUNITY, AND INCENTIVE STRUCTURES NOT AFFECTED BY CHANGES IN FORMAL ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, THE THEORIES AND CONCEPTS USED TO ORGANIZE REFORM EFFORTS SHOULD BE GIVEN TOP PRIORITY IN ANALYZING THE LIMITS OF ORGANIZATIONAL REFORM, BECAUSE THE CONCEPT OF ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS ULTIMATELY DETERMINES SUCCESS IN DEALING WITH CONSTRAINTS INHERENT IN THE REFORM CONTEXT. CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO REORGANIZATION AND REFORM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED, AND ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES ARE SUGGESTED. THE ALTERNATIVES TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FOLLOWING: THE DIVERSE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOODS AND SERVICES PRODUCED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; THE RANGE OF ORGANIZATIONAL POSSIBILITIES; THE POSITIVE FUNCTIONS THAT MAY BE SERVED BY MAINTAINING ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; VARIATIONS IN LOCAL SERVICE CONDITIONS; THE CITIZEN ROLE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; THE POTENTIAL FOR NONBUREAUCRATIC REFORMS; REASSESSMENT OF CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES; AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REFORM CONTEXT. (LKM)