ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE THE MOST EDUCATED AND PROGRESSIVE GROUP IN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM, PRISON PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE NO REAL AUTHORITY AND HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY ACTIVE ROLE IN PRISON REFORM. THE FUNCTIONS AND METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE UNCLEAR TO MOST PRISONERS, AND THIS PROVIDES FERTILE GROUND FOR RUMORS AND SCANDAL. THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF A THERAPIST-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP LOSES ALL CREDIBILITY IN THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT, AND THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT IN CIVILIAN LIFE IS MAGNIFIED IN PRISON. HOWEVER, HOSTILITY DIRECTED TOWARD PSYCHOLOGISTS BY OTHER PRISON PERSONNEL IMPROVES THEIR STANDING AMONG INMATES. PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO SHOULD BE DEVELOPING WAYS TO MAKE PRISON MORE TOLERABLE AND REHABILITATIVE HAVE INSTEAD BECOME ALIENATED FROM DAILY PRISON LIFE; PARTICIPATION IN PRISON SOCIAL AND SPORTING CLUBS COULD REMEDY THIS SITUATION. PRISONERS UNDERGOING PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE SEEN DAILY BY A PSYCHOLOGIST AS WELL AS A REGULAR PHYSICIAN. THE FUNCTION OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST SHOULD BE EXPLAINED TO PRISONERS AND STEPS TAKEN TO REMOVE THE STIGMA FROM THERAPY. IN ORDER TO EXPAND THEIR ROLE, PSYCHOLOGISTS MUST NEGOTIATE FOR MORE POWER WITHIN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM. A FOOTNOTE COMMENTS ON INACCURACIES NOTED IN THE PAPER WHEN IT WAS REVIEWED FOR PUBLICATION. (MJM)