PRISONS HAVE FAILED FROM THE VIEWPOINTS OF BOTH REHABILITATION AND CRIME DETERRENCE EFFECTIVENESS, AS INDICATED BY THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM AMONG FORMER PRISON INMATES. A MORATORIUM TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PRISONS AND THE GRADUAL PHASING OUT OF THE OLD ONES IS NEEDED. IN SOME COUNTRIES (E.G., ENGLAND, JAPAN, COSTA RICA), ALTERNATIVES TO INSTITUTIONALIZATION ARE BEING TRIED. THE U.S. (ESPECIALLY MASSACHUSETTS) HAS MANY ONGOING PROJECTS USING NEW, PROGRESSIVE FORMS OF TREATMENT FOR CONVICTED OFFENDERS BOTH INSIDE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS (MINIMUM SECURITY, FURLOUGHS, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, PAID WORK PROGRAMS) AND OUTSIDE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS (RESTITUTION PROGRAMS, VICTIM-OFFENDER RELATIONSHIP PROGRAMS, HALFWAY HOUSES, FORESTRY AND SHIPYARD CAMPS, PRISON FARMS, INDIVIDUALIZED PAROLE AND PROBATION PROGRAMS). TO EFFECTIVELY ADMINISTER THESE INNOVATIVE FORMS OF OFFENDER TREATMENT, A NEW BREED OF SOCIAL DEFENSE PERSONNEL IS NEEDED, SPECIALIZED WITH TECHNICAL TRAINING, HIGHLY MOTIVATED, AND PERSONALLY ENDOWED WITH MORAL STRENGTH, POWERS OF PERSUASION, AND A MUCH HIGHER SENSE OF SELF-RESPECT AND PROFESSIONAL PRIDE. SUCH PRIDE WILL RISE AUTOMATICALLY FROM THE NEW ROLE SOCIAL DEFENSE WORKERS HAVE AS AGENTS FOR REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL REINTEGRATION OF THEIR CHARGES WHICH REPLACES THEIR ROLE OF EXECUTIONERS AND PRISON GUARDS, WHO WERE BACKED BY PRISON WALLS, GUNS, AND OTHER MEANS OF PHYSICAL COERCION. SOCIAL DEFENSE WORKERS IN THEIR NEW ROLES CAN BE EFFECTIVELY ASSISTED BY VOLUNTEERS IN COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS. --IN SPANISH. (LGR)