THE BEDFORD HILLS PRISON IN NEW YORK HOUSES WOMEN SERVING SENTENCES OF VARIED LENGTH. IT IS A NEW PRISON, RESEMBLING A COLLEGE CAMPUS, AND IT PROVIDES THE INMATES WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS. THE FILM FOCUSES ON ONE WOMAN, WHO SHOT HER HUSBAND IN SELF-DEFENSE AND WAS CONVICTED OF MURDER. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT HAD HER OFFENSE OCCURRED IN A DIFFERENT PART OF THE STATE, SHE ONLY WOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. SHE STARTED WORKING IN THE PRISON KEYPUNCH ROOM MAKING 10 CENTS A DAY, BUT WAS FIRED AND PUT INTO ISOLATION AFTER TAKING PART IN A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION. DURING THAT TIME SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY REHABILITATION OR EDUCATION PRORAMS. SHE WAS FINALLY RELEASED TO KITCHEN DUTY. IT WAS AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE THAT SHE REALIZED SHE WAS GOING TO BE IN PRISON FOR A LONG TIME AND WOULD NOT RECEIVE ANY BENEFIT FROM REHABILITATION PROGRAMS; NOR DID IT SEEM THAT ANY COURSES SHE COULD TAKE WOULD HAVE ANY APPLICATION FOR HER. THIS WOMAN IS NOW FIGHTING FOR LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD PROVIDE PAROLE BOARD REVIEW EVERY 3 YEARS FOR THOSE WITH LONG-TERM SENTENCES. ANOTHER INMATE, WHO COMPLETED HER HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY AND TOOK COLLEGE COURSES SO HER RECORD WOULD LOOK GOOD, COULD SEE NO APPLICATION FOR THE COURSES IN HER PRISON LIFE OR AFTER HER RELEASE. IT IS STATED THAT THE MAJOR PROBLEM FACING THOSE IN PRISON IS THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO FUNCTION AS INDEPENDENT HUMAN BEINGS. FOR RELATED FILMSTRIPS AND CASSETTES, SEE NCJ-48654, 48655, AND 48657. (BAC)