AMERICAN SOCIETY AND ITS BASIC INSTITUTIONS OPERATE WITHIN A FRAMEWORK OF CLASS AND RACIAL SUBORDINATION FOR BLACK CITIZENS. THE SITUATION OF BLACKS IS COMPLEX IN THAT THEY ATTEMPT TO BETTER THEIR CONDITIONS INDIVIDUALLY WHILE PROTECTING COLLECTIVE INTERESTS OF THE DOMINANT WHITE SOCIETY. THE NUMBER OF BLACK WORKERS IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS, CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMS, PROBATION, AND PAROLE IS INCREASING. AS A RESULT, BLACK ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE THEIR UNIQUE POSITION IN THE AREA OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. TYPICALLY, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DEMANDING MORE INPUT INTO DECISIONMAKING, THE APPOINTMENT OF MORE BLACK AND MINORITY PERSONNEL, A SHIFT IN PHILOSOPHY WITH REGARD TO PUNISHMENT AND REHABILITATION, MORE POSITIVE RECOGNITION OF THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF BLACKNESS, AND A COMMITMENT TO REDUCE SOCIETAL CRIMINAL ACTS AGAINST INDIVIDUALS. ONE OF THE BASIC CONCERNS OF MANY BLACKS WORKING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS TO MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE PERTINENT TO NEEDS OF BLACK PEOPLE, AS PRACTITIONERS, CLIENTS, AND VICTIMS. BLACKS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM FIND THEMSELVES DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED IN PUBLIC SECTOR PROFESSIONS, I.E., TEACHING, SOCIAL WORK, AND CORRECTIONS. THE INTEGRATION OF BLACKS INTO THE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SECTOR OFTEN CREATES OR PERPETUATES CLASS CONFLICT, WHERE MIDDLE-CLASS BLACKS ARE AGAINST LOWER-CLASS BLACKS. THE DIFFICULTY BLACK WORKERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAVE IN FORMULATING A CLEAR POSITION WITH REGARD TO WHAT THEIR ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR SHOULD BE IS UNDOUBTEDLY RELATED TO THE REWARD-PUNISHMENT MECHANISM, THE ACCULTURATION PROCESS, AND THE STATUS OF THEIR POSITION. IN ADDITION TO THIS DIFFICULTY, BLACK SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN VIEWED WITH SUSPICION, INDIFFERENCE, AND EVEN HOSTILITY. A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING FUNCTIONS OF BLACKS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS PRESENTED THAT ENCOMPASSES THE EXTENT OF BLACK INVOLVEMENT IN THE SYSTEM. IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT WHO HAS AUTHORITY, NOW AUTHORITY IS USED IN RELATION TO BLACKS, AND OUTCOMES OF THE USE OF AUTHORITY. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)