NEW MEXICO'S SECRETARY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DR. CHARLES BECKNELL, BEGINS HIS PRESENTATION BY RELATING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AS A BLACK AMERICAN. THIS PERSPECTIVE IS THE BASIS FOR THE TALK. IT IS STATED THAT CORRECTIONS HAS BEEN UNFAIRLY CONSIDERED TO BE THE END PRODUCT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM AND THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN IT ARE CHARACTERIZED BY FAILURE. THE INMATE IS NOT PREPARED TO REENTER SOCIETY AT THE TIME OF PAROLE, MAKING POSITIVE FUNCTION AS A PAROLEE IMPOSSIBLE. THE RESULT IS RECIDIVISM. THE MOUNTING COSTS OF BUILDING NEW PRISONS, THAT ONLY COMPOUND THE PROBLEM OF RECIDIVISM, SHOW THE NEED TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES. MONEY SHOULD BE ALLOCATED INSTEAD TO STAFF TRAINING AND FIELD SERVICE ACTIVITIES, AND A MORATORIUM SHOULD BE IMPOSED ON PRISON BUILDING. THE HUMAN FACTOR MUST BE CONSIDERED IN EXPLORING ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION SO THAT THE INMATE'S SELF-ESTEEM CAN BECOME A GOAL OF THE REHABILITATION PROCESS. IN ORDER FOR COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ALTERNATIVE, IT MUST PROVIDE A HOLISTIC APPROACH. THIS REQUIRES SECURE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS OPEN COMMUNITY SETTINGS OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS. LEADERSHIP IN THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS MUST PROVIDE INSPIRATION AND UNDERSTANDING, PARTICULARLY IN REFERENCE TO THE HUMAN ELEMENT. NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE AREA OF CORRECTIONS CAN OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES PREVENTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRODUCTIVE, HUMANE SYSTEM. THE BELIEF IN THE POSSIBILITIES FOR SUCCESS CAN BE STRENGTHENED BY REMOVAL OF SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS AND PERSEVERENCE. (JCP)