THE MAJOR SUBJECT AREAS OF AN OFFENDER'S PROFILE THAT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS ARE IDENTIFIED, AND VARIOUS MEANS FOR ACQUIRING THE NEEDED INFORMATION ARE LISTED. THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INMATE SELF-RATING SCALE IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT NEEDS OF THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS. IT IS NOTED THAT SKEPTICISM REGARDING OFFENDERS' INSIGHTS ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THE IMAGE OF OFFENDERS AS BEING MANIPULATIVE AND SELF-SERVING HAS CAUSED MANY TO DEPRECIATE THE VALUE OF ANYTHING AN OFFENDER MIGHT SAY ABOUT HIMSELF. TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM, THE AUTHOR INDICATES IT IS POSSIBLE TO DEVELOP TECHNIQUES SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO DETERMINE IF THE INMATE IS LYING WHEN USING THE SELF-ASSESSMENT SCALE. ONE SUGGESTED WAY OF DOING THIS IS TO INCORPORATE LIE SCALES OR SOCIAL DESIRABILITY SCALES INTO THE INSTRUMENT. IT IS INDICATED THAT THE THEORETICAL ORIENTATION TO THE USE OF INMATE SELF-ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS IS THAT THE NONPSYCHOTIC AND THE NONNEUROTIC INMATES PERCEIVE THEMSELVES FROM WITHIN THE DYNAMICS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CRIMINAL CAREERS, WHICH PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SELF-IMAGE AND PSYCHODYNAMICS OF SUCH OFFENDERS. SUGGESTIONS FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES OF EXPERTISE FOR PREPARING THE SELF-RATING SCALE IS CONSIDERED THE MOST IMPORTANT CURRENT NEED. IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE A THEORETICAL BASE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SELF-RATING SCALE, THE AUTHOR, ON THE BASIS OF CAUSAL THEORIES AND EXPERIENCE, LISTS 14 FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE SOCIAL IMPEDIMENTS AND CRIME RELATED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THESE CHARACTERISTICS BE USED AS A BASIS FOR PREPARING AN INMATE SELF-RATING INVENTORY. SEE NCJ 32007 (RCB)