THE INSTITUTION STUDIED IS CONSIDERED END-OF-THE-LINE AND IS RESERVED FOR OVERLY HOSTILE AND AGGRESSIVE MALES RANGING IN AGE FROM 15 TO 18 YEARS. THE YOUTHS, 51 PERCENT BLACK AND 49 PERCENT WHITE, ARE HOUSED IN EIGHT COTTAGES. THE MAJORITY HAVE COMMITTED SERIOUS OFFENSES AND HAVE HAD PREVIOUS COMMITMENTS TO STATE INSTITUTIONS. ONE-HALF HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS DANGEROUS TO OTHERS AND AN ADDITIONAL ONE-FIFTH HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED. SURVEYS OF STAFF MEMBERS AND INMATES REVEALED THAT WHITES WERE THE MOST SERIOUSLY EXPLOITED VICTIMS IN THE INSTITUTION. OF 16 CHRONIC SEXUAL VICTIMS, 13 WERE WHITE. IN EVERY COTTAGE, WHITES USUALLY OCCUPIED THE LOWEST POSITIONS OF THE 'PECKING ORDER.' NEARLY ALL INMATE LEADERS WERE BLACK; NEARLY ALL SCAPEGOATS WERE WHITE. INITIAL ADJUSTMENT TO THE INSTITUTION, SOCIAL CLASS, INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS, PAST INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE AMONG FACTORS RELATED TO VICTIMIZATION. SOCIAL CLASS BACKGROUND APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR IN THAT GHETTO BLACKS CARRY THEIR PREJUDICE AGAINST WHITES INTO THE INSTITUTION. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, ALTHOUGH BLACKS DOMINATE WHITES IN THIS INSTITUTION AND OTHERS LIKE IT, THE SITUATION IS REVERSED IN OTHER CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)