AN INTRODUCTION EXPLAINS THE THEORY AND ITS USE BY SOCIOLOGISTS IN THE FIELDS OF CRIME, DEVIANCE AND SOCIAL CONTROL. A SECTION FOCUSES ON THE SOCIAL BASIS OF LAW IN CAPITALIST STATES SUCH AS CANADA, AND FIVE ESSAYS ARE PRESENTED WHICH EXAMINE THE SOCIAL AND HISTORICAL BASES OF THE EXISTENCE, EMERGENCE, AND CHANGE OF SOCIAL CONTROL LEGISLATION. SUBJECTS INCLUDE HABITUAL OFFENDER LEGISLATION, RAPE, AND SOCIAL CONTROL AND THE LEGAL ORDER. PSYCHIATRY AND SOCIAL CONTROL ARE EXAMINED IN THE NEXT SECTION, AND ARTICLES ILLUSTRATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH PSYCHIATRY HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT WEAPON IN THE SOCIAL CONTROL ARSENAL OF THE STATE. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED IN THE ESSAYS INCLUDE MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE LAW, PENAL POLICY IN CANADA, AND PSYCHIATRY AND THE UNIVERSITY. A CONCLUDING SECTION IS DEVOTED TO SOCIAL CONTROL ORGANIZATIONS. THE FOUR ARTICLES IN THIS SECTION DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL CONFLICT APPROACH TO FORMAL ORGANIZATION INSTITUTED TO EFFECT SOCIAL CONTROL IN SOCIETY. PRISONS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE THE IMPOSITION OF SOCIAL CONTROL AS THEIR OBJECTIVE ARE ANALYZED. A CONCLUSION DISCUSSES THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES IN THE CONFLICT THEORY OF LAW AND SOCIAL CONTROL. (MJW)