UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, THE PRINCIPAL FUNCTION OF THE PSYCHIATRIST RATHER THAN THAT OF A THERAPIST, WAS TO PROTECT SOCIETY BY SERVING AS AN EXPERT WHO COULD IDENTIFY UNDESIRABLE ELEMENTS. THIS BEGAN TO CHANGE AS FOREIGN IDEAS EMPHASIZING REHABILITATION OF THE CRIMINAL BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF PERSONALITY GRADUALLY TOOK HOLD IN FRANCE, CULMINATING IN THE PENAL REFORM OF 1945 WHICH PROVIDED FOR MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES IN EVERY PRISON. THE STRUCTURES FOR PSYCHIATRIC INTERVENTION IN PRISONS HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTING, WHILE THE PENAL PROCEDURES CODE REQUIRES CLASSIFICATION OF ALL LONG-TERM PRISONERS AFTER THOROUGH EXAMINATION BY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM, THE EXTENT OF OBSERVATIONS IS IMPAIRED BY OVERCROWDING AND SECURITY FACTORS. FURTHERMORE, PSYCHIATRIC CARE FOR LONG-TERM PRISONERS AND MEDICAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL CENTERS PLANNED FOR JAILS HAVE REMAINED INADEQUATE AND HAVE NOT BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE. TREATMENT FREQUENTLY INVOLVES FORCING THE PRISONER TO FIT A SET OF NORMS; THE PSYCHIATRIST IS MISINTERPRETED AS A DISTRIBUTOR OF DRUGS TO REPRESS UNWANTED BEHAVIOR AND A FABRICATOR OF LEGAL EXCUSES FOR CRIMINAL ACTS AND THEIR REPRESSION. ACTUALLY THE PSYCHIATRIST MUST DEAL WITH BOTH THE CRIMINAL PERSONALITY AND THE PENAL SITUATION: ACTING OUT TO COMMUNICATE TO OTHERS THE AUTHENTICITY WHICH HE CANNOT VERBALIZE, THE OFFENDER MEETS WITH REJECTION; THE INSTITUTIONAL RESTRAINTS AND RESTRICTIONS AGGRAVATE HIS CONDITION AND LEAD TO REPRESSED VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION, WHICH THEN TAKE THE FORM OF SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR AND PSYCHOSOMATIC SYMPTOMS. PROCEEDING FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, THE PSYCHIATRIST MUST SEEK TO TREAT THE INDIVIDUAL PRISONER'S COMMUNICATIONS DIFFICULTIES, IMPROVE THE IMAGE WHICH THE PRISONER PROJECTS TO OTHERS, AND IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE INSTITUTIONS. TO THIS END, HE MUST ENCOURAGE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMWORK AND DIALOGUE BETWEEN ADMINISTRATORS AND CLINICIANS WHILE REMAINING AWARE OF THE INDIVIDUAL-INSTITUTIONAL CONFLICT IN TREATMENT. THE PROOF OF HIS ACCEPTANCE AND EFFICACY IS THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM PRISONERS. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)