A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE HISTORICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF PRISONS, PARTICULARLY IN NEW SOUTH WALES, CONCLUDES THAT PRISONS ARE A PERMANENT INSTITUTION. PRESSURES ON THE PENAL SYSTEM THAT HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON FOR SOME OFFENDERS AND FOR SOME OFFENSES -- THE INFLUENCE OF POSITIVISM ON PENAL THINKING, THE GROWTH OF HUMANITARIAN ATTITUDES, THE LACK OF ADEQUATE FINANCING FOR PRISONS -- ARE IDENTIFIED. THE EXTENT TO WHICH COURTS IN NEW SOUTH WALES USE ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT IS NOTED. BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS ARE PRESENTED OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF ALTERNATIVES USED IN NEW SOUTH WALES: BONDS AND RECOGNIZANCES; DIVERSIONARY PROGRAMS; ADJOURNMENTS; DELIBERATE NONUSE OF MINIMAL USE OF IMPRISONMENT (FOR SUCH OFFENSES AS PROSTITUTION, VAGRANCY, AND DRUNKENNESS); PERIODIC DETENTION; COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS; AND FINES. THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS ARE REACHED: (1) ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE INTRODUCED IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND ELSEWHERE; (2) THERE ARE CASES IN WHICH SUCH ALTERNATIVES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE; AND (3) THE FACT THAT NEW SOUTH WALES' IMPRISONMENT RATE IS TWICE THAT OF THE NEIGHBORING STATE OF VICTORIA INDICATES THE NEED FOR A GREATER AND MORE IMAGINATIVE USE OF ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONNMENT IN NEW SOUTH WALES. (LKWM)