THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE NATURE OF THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, EXPLORES ASSUMPTIONS AND RESEARCH ABOUT THE NATURE AND NEEDS OF INMATES, AND REVIEWS PLANS AND OUTCOMES OF PAST AND PRESENT CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS. BASED UPON THIS INFORMATION, TENTATIVE CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN BY THE THERAPIST ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES, AND DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO TEST THOSE CONCLUSIONS CAN BE PLANNED. THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN IN THE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW: (1) THE CONDITIONS THAT SEEM TO HAVE THE GREATEST CORRELATION WITH AVOIDANCE OF RECIDIVISM ARE FAMILY AVAILABILITY OR OTHER SOCIAL GROUP SUPPORT AFTER RELEASE, STABLE JOB PROSPECTS, AND AGING; (2) REGARDLESS OF WHAT OCCURS IN THE PRISON, PROGRAMS ARE LIKELY TO HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON THE CONDITIONS TO WHICH INMATES RETURN, SO THAT SOME RECIDIVISM MAY BE INEVITABLE; (3) PRISONS EXIST PRIMARILY TO PUNISH, SO THAT INMATES ARE NOT LIKELY TO VIEW PRISONS AS EXISTING FOR THEIR BENEFIT; (4) IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN THE INMATE'S DESIRE FOR CHANGE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY THAT PAROLE CONTINGENCIES ARE ATTACHED TO OUTCOMES OF THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM; (5) LASTING BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IN AN INMATE WILL OCCUR ONLY IF THE INMATE TRULY DESIRES THAT CHANGE. IN LIGHT OF THESE CONCLUSIONS, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE THERAPIST ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP A PRISON PROGRAM SHOULD OFFER ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TRULY VOLUNTARY TO ATTRACT THOSE INMATES MOTIVATED TO CHANGE. FURTHER, INMATES SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN PROGRAM DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEM AND SHOULD SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE DECISIONS. WHILE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS CANNOT 'CURE' OFFENDERS, THEY CAN ASSIST IN THE MAINTENANCE OF LIFE-TASK PERFORMANCE, PROVIDE LEISURE-TIME ACTIVITIES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, AND CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH JOB TRAINING PROGRAM PERSONNEL TO ASSESS BASIC SKILLS, DEVELOP WORK HABITS, AND ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DESIRED VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYABLE SKILLS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)