THE FACILITY, WHICH IS NOT IDENTIFIED, GROUPS ITS MOSTLY BLACK INMATES BY AGE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ARMED OFFENDERS AND A SPECIAL UNIT RESERVED FOR HOMOSEXUALS AND THE RARE WHITE INMATE. THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF THE FACILITY ARE DESCRIBED, BUT THE DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE STRATEGIES OF SURVIVAL BOTH THE CHILDREN AND THE STAFF MEMBERS ADOPT AND ON THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER. THE PRIMARY DEFENSE MECHANISMS AT EVERY LEVEL OF CENTER LIFE ARE PROJECTION, DENIAL, AND DISSOCIATION. MISERY IS ATTRIBUTED, OFTEN RIGHTLY, TO EXTERNAL SOURCES. THE CHILDREN ARE TORMENTED BY COUNSELORS, COUNSELORS ARE THREATENED BY ADMINISTRATORS, ADMINISTRATORS ARE ENDANGERED BY 'DOWNTOWN,' AND 'DOWNTOWN' IS HARASSED BY LEGISLATORS. THE COUNSELORS ARE LIKE THE CHILDREN IN MANY RESPECTS. NEITHER GROUP HAS ANY OPTIONS. BOTH RECEIVE NO POSITIVE REWARDS, ONLY NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT. THERE IS NO PRIVACY. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILDREN AND THE COUNSELORS IS A DEADLY GAME, IN WHICH THE MAIN RULE IS TO BEAT BEFORE ONE IS BEATEN. NO ONE TRUSTS ANYONE. COUNSELORS SOMETIMES PROVOKE, OBSERVE, AND THEN DIVORCE THEMSELVES FROM UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF INMATES. WHEN OVERCROWDING OCCASIONALLY DIMINISHES IN THE CENTER, STAFF BEHAVIOR DOES NOT CHANGE. THE COUNSELORS AND THE CHILDREN USE THE SAME LANGUAGE OF BITTER 'CRACKING' WITH EACH OTHER. THERE IS AN IMPRESSION OF INFINITE DISTANCE SEPARATING EVERYONE IN THE CENTER, AND YET AT EVERY LEVEL PEOPLE IDENTIFY WITH AND LIVE THROUGH EACH OTHER. BENEATH HATRED, BACKBITING, AND CHAOS LIE ENORMOUS RESERVOIRS OF DEPRESSION. THE CENTER REPRESENTS THE FAILURE OF ALL STRUCTURES IN URBAN SOCIETY--FAMILY LIFE, SCHOOLS, COURTS, WELFARE SYSTEMS, ORGANIZED MEDICINE, HOSPITALS. IT IS WHERE SOCIETY PUTS THE CHILDREN IT DOES NOT WANT OR NEED. (LKM)