HUMANISM IS A SYSTEM OF THOUGHT THAT PLACES PRIMARY IMPORTANCE ON HUMAN INTERESTS AND VALUES. SOCIALISM ADVOCATES THE OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF INDUSTRY, CAPITAL, AND LAND BY THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IT IS FIRST POINTED OUT THAT, BECAUSE SOCIALISM WITHOUT HUMANISM IS NOT REALLY SOCIALISM, A NEW DIRECTION FOR ANALYZING PRISONS NOT ONLY MUST BE CRITICAL OF CAPITALISTIC AND TOTALITARIAN SOCIALISTIC JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF PRISONS, BUT ALSO MUST OFFER A HUMANISTIC ALTERNATIVE. TOWARD DEFINING CRITERIA FOR A HUMANISTIC/SOCIALISTIC CRIMINOLOGY, THE FOLLOWING ISSUES ARE CONSIDERED: THE POLITICAL NATURE OF PRISONS, PARTICULARLY THE ROLE OF THE STATE IN DEFINING A 'GOOD INSTITUTION'; THE FACT THAT NOT ALL INMATES ARE POLITICAL OR RADICAL; THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAPITALISM AND ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, PARTICULARLY IN PRISONS; LIBERAL REFORM AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO TOTALITARIAN RULE IN PRISONS; HUMANISTIC POLITICAL REACTION TO REPRESSIVE PRISON PRACTICES; AND VALUES AND PROCEDURES NEEDED TO ALLEVIATE TOTALITARIAN PRISON CONDITIONS. THE ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT HUMANISTIC SOCIALISM MAY LEAD TO AN ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE THAT ASSURES DEMOCRATIC IDEALS AND GUARANTEES INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM FROM EXPLOITATION AND REPRESSION. HOWEVER, IT IS APPARENT THAT CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGY IS LEADING NEITHER TO HUMANISM NOR TO SOCIALISM. TWO DOMINANT LIBERAL ORIENTATIONS USED BY SOCIOLOGISTS TO EXPLAIN PRISON 'BADNESS' -- THE IDEAS THAT PRISONS FOSTER CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR EITHER BECAUSE THE CAPTIVES ARE BAD TO BEGIN WITH OR BECAUSE THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT ITSELF IS BAD -- ARE IDENTIFIED, AND WAYS IN WHICH THESE ORIENTATIONS IMPEDE HUMANISTIC SOCIALISM ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT A HUMANISTIC/SOCIALISTIC PERSPECTIVE MAY BE USED TO EXPLAIN PRISON VIOLENCE, TO HELP CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENTS UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR ACTIONS CAN HARM THEIR CLIENTS, TO CLARIFY THE RHETORIC OF BOTH CAPITALISM AND TOTALITARIAN SOCIALISM, AND TO EXPLORE SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OPPRESSOR AND OPPRESSED. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)