IN 1787 A PRIVATE AGENCY DEVELOPED A CONCEPT OF PRISON AS A HUMANE ALTERNATIVE TO CAPITAL AND CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND ESTABLISHED A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION BASED ON THIS CONCEPT. ITS EFFORTS WERE ADMIRED AND DUPLICATED. AS THE FIELD OF PENOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES DEVELOPED, HOWEVER, PRIVATE AGENCIES WERE SUPPLANTED BY PROFESSIONALS IN THESE FIELDS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF CENTRALIZED BUREAUCRACIES AT THE STATE AND COUNTY LEVELS AND THE APPEARANCE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE TRANSFERRED THE CONTROL OF PRISONS TO STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS. WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS, PRIVATE AGENCIES WERE EXPECTED ONLY TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD. IN SPITE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, PRIVATE AGENCIES CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS. IN THEIR ROLE AS VOLUNTEER VISITORS IN PRISONER VISITATION PROGRAMS, PEOPLE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR MAINTAIN A DISTINCT RELATIONSHIP WITH PRISONERS BECAUSE THEY LACK THE PROFESSIONAL IMAGE AND ARE TOTALLY REMOVED FRM ANY IDENTIFICATION WITH THE PRISONER. THE COMPASSION AND OBJECTIVENESS WHICH A VOLUNTEER IS ABLE TO EXPRESS CAN HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON A PRISONER'S IDENTITY AND SELF-IMAGE. ANOTHER ROLE OF THE PRIVATE AGENCY IS TO MONITOR AND CHALLENGE THE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE INEVITABLY POLITICAL, TO INSURE PROPER MANAGEMENT OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS THE STAFF OF THE PRIVATE AGENCY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE MONITORING EFFORTS. PRIVATE CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES CAN ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN CORRECTIONS RESEARCH. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT CORRECTIONAL TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE INEFFECTIVE IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM. RESEARCH IN THIS AREA WOULD HELP TO ELIMINATE INEFFECTIVE AND COSTLY METHODS AND HELP TO IDENTIFY MORE EFFECTIVE METHODS OF REHABILITATION. (MGB)