THE GROWTH OF AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES IN FEDERAL PRISON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE TRACED. THE FINDINGS OF A 1976 TASK FORCE STUDY ON THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGISTS IN FEDERAL PRISONS ARE SUMMARIZED. THE TASK FORCE IDENTIFIED THE SKILLS AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE THAT PSYCHOLOGISTS BRING TO CORRECTIONS. THE FOLLOWING ROLES AND FUNCTIONS WERE DEFINED IN THEIR ORDER OF PRIORITY: PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT (COURT EVALUATIONS, SCREENING, SPECIAL REFERRALS, ETC.); PSYCHOTHERAPY (GROUP, INDIVIDUAL, CRISIS INTERVENTION); RESOURCE PERSON (BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE, SCIENTIFIC METHODS, STATISTICS); STAFF TRAINING; STAFF CONSULTATION; PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION; RESEARCH; ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES; AND LIAISON WITH OTHER AGENCIES. QUESTIONS ARE RAISED PERTAINING TO THE DEARTH OF REPORTS BY PRACTICING PRISON PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE, TO THE ISSUE OF INTERACTIONISM (THE RELATIVE EFFECTS OF THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT AND THE INDIVIDUAL INMATE'S CHARACTERISTICS ON THE INMATE'S MENTAL HEALTH), AND TO TREATMENT. QUESTIONS ARE ALSO RAISED RELATIVE TO DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND TO THE OBSERVATION THAT MANY PROGRAMS ARE IMPROPERLY IMPLEMENTED. THE NEED FOR A UNIFYING PHILOSOPHY OR MISSION IN CORRECTIONS IS EMPHASIZED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)