THE CHRONIC POLITICAL INSTABILITY OF LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES MAKES CONTINUITY IN CORRECTIONS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE PENAL SYSTEM. LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE PRISON POPULATION IS SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 10 YEARS, AND BETWEEN 50 PERCENT AND 60 PERCENT ARE SENTENCED TO LESS THAN 3 YEARS. THE AVERAGE WAITING PERIOD FOR PRISONERS PENDING TRIAL IS BETWEEN 1 YEAR AND 3 YEARS. PROBATION INVOLVES THE SUSPENSION OF IMPRISONMENT SENTENCES BY COURTS, PROVIDED CERTAIN LEGAL REQUISITES ARE MET, AND THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS ON PAROLE IS LIMITED. OVERCROWDING IN PRISONS IS PREVALENT, AND MATERIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF INSTITUTIONS FOR WOMEN ARE USUALLY BETTER THAN THOSE FOR MEN. LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PASSED IN VARIOUS LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES REGARDING THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS, MEDICAL CARE, THE SELECTION AND TRAINING OF PERSONNEL, AND THE CLASSIFICATION OF INSTITUTIONS, EVEN THOUGH SUCH LEGISLATION IS NOT ALWAYS ADEQUATELY ENFORCED. THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, PARTICULARLY INSTITUTIONAL TREATMENT, IS DETERMINED BY THE WAY IN WHICH POLICE, PUBLIC PROSECUTORS, AND COURTS OPERATE. SALIENT RESULTS OF THE EXISTING LATIN AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM ARE EXTENSIVE CRIMINALIZATION, INCREASING SLOWNESS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, FREQUENT USE OF DETENTION PENDING TRIAL AND OF SHORT-TERM IMPRISONMENT, INCREASING EXPENSES WITH UNSATISFACTORY CORRECTIONAL RESULTS, AND WIDESPREAD DISCREDIT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. BECAUSE LATIN AMERICAN PENOLOGISTS AND CRIMINOLOGISTS ARE GENERALLY MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT IS GOING ON IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND THE UNITED STATES, THIS HAS LED TO IMITATION AND OFTEN FAILURE. RESOCIALIZATION RATHER THAN CORRECTIONS IS NEEDED BUT NOT FOR ALL OFFENDERS. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)