THE PROBLEM OF BURGEONING POPULATIONS IN ANCIENT GREECE LED THE CORINTHIANS TO FOUND NEW SETTLEMENTS WITHOUT ADVANCING THEIR CULTURE, THE SPARTANS TO EXHAUST THEMSELVES IN CONTINUOUS WARS WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS, AND THE ATHENIANS TO BECOME THE LEADING TRADERS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD. THE ATHENIAN SOLUTION BEST FITS THE U.S. IN THAT DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES USE THEIR CURRENT ACTIVITIES TO BRING ABOUT THE MOST DESIRABLE FUTURE. THE ATHENIANS RECOGNIZED THAT PROGRESS, INVENTION, AND CREATIVITY ARE THE PRODUCTS OF EXTERNAL ADVERSITY AND THAT WITHIN LIMITS, THE GREATER THE ADVERSITY, THE GREATER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HELLENIZATION. AS IN THE CASE OF ATHENIAN REFORMS, CHANGES IN THE AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WERE PROMPTED BY POWERFUL EXTERNAL ADVERSITY (I.E., PUBLIC OUTCRY, CONGRESSIONAL CONCERN) DURING THE TURBULENT 1960'S. AS A RESULT OF THE APPOINTMENT OF A PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION, ENACTMENT OF THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT, AND OTHER REFORMS, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY HAS UNDERGONE RENAISSANCE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. HOWEVER, NEW ADVERSITIES ARE BECOMING VISIBLE SUCH AS ENERGY SHORTAGES, THE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY, THE DANGERS OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, GLUTTONOUS INFLATION, AND DETERIORATING ATTITUDES ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF GOVERNMENT. THE SUCCESS OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM'S RESPONSE WILL DEPEND ON WHETHER IT DEVELOPS THE ATHENIAN KNACK OF CONJURING ALTERNATIVE FUTURES. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)