ALL LONG-TERM PRISONERS (2 YEARS AND LONGER) IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE ADMITTED TO AN OBSERVATION CENTER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER SENTENCING. DURING THE OBSERVATION PERIOD, WHICH LASTS FROM 6 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS, THE PRISONER IS GIVEN A COMPLETE PSYCHODIAGNOSTIC EXAMINATION AND SURVEY. FOLLOWING THIS, MEMBERS OF A PROFESSIONAL TEAM DISCUSS EACH CASE AND PLAN AN INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PROGRAM, WHICH MAY INCLUDE INTENSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTENTION, SOCIAL CARE, AND EDUCATION. EVERY INMATE IS ASSIGNED TO A WORK OR TRAINING PROGRAM, ACCORDING TO APTITUDE. INMATES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO FOUR GENERAL GROUPS ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS REQUIRED, AND AN EFFORT IS MADE TO HAVE EACH GROUP IN A SEPARATE FACILITY. TWO CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS FOR OFFENDERS USED IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DESCRIBED. IN SOUTH AFRICA, PSYCHOPATHIC OFFENDERS ARE COMMITTED TO SPECIAL HOSPITAL PRISONS WHERE BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION MODELS AIMED AT SOCIALIZING THE PSYCHOPATH FOR RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY ARE EMPLOYED. LEVELS OF EXPECTATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF PYCHOPATHS ARE DISCUSSED. THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY APPROACH, WHICH EMPHASIZES A TOTAL TREATMENT ENVIRONMENT IN THE PRISON, IS DESCRIBED AND ADVOCATED AS THE APPROACH OFFERRING THE BEST POSSIBILITY OF SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT. IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE EXISTENCE OF A VARIETY OF POPULATION GROUPS FROM A VARIETY OF CULTURES AND USING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES IS SAID TO MAKE THE APPLICATION OF THE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY CONCEPT DIFFICULT IN PRISONS. PRISON IS VIEWED AS BEING AN ENVIRONMENT LEAST CONDUCIVE TO THE SOCIALIZATION OF THE OFFENDER REGARDLESS OF THE TREATMENT METHODS USED. ISOLATION FROM A NORMAL STRUCTURED SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND ADJUSTMENT TO A PRISON CRIMINAL SUBCULTURE ARE CITED AS MAJOR REASONS FOR THIS; THUS, IT IS ADVISED THAT ONE MUST BE CONTENT WITH EVEN SMALL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SOCIALIZATION OF IMPRISONED OFFENDERS. (RCB)