THIS ESSAY EXAMINES CURRENT PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS OF PRISONS AND PRISON SYSTEMS, STUDIES EACH EXPECTATION, AND SHOWS HOW EACH FAILS TO PRODUCE MEN WHO CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY REINTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY. THE MULTIPLE GOALS OF PRISON SYSTEMS ARE PENITENCY, RETRIBUTION AND REVENGE, PUNISHMENT, DETERRENCE, ISOLATION, AND REHABILITATION. BUT DESPITE FAILURES, SOME EX-CONS ARE REINTEGRATED SUCCESSFULLY INTO SOCIETY, AND A NUMBER OF THESE EX-OFFENDERS WERE INTERVIEWED TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF VARIOUS PRISON PROGRAMS ON THEIR LIFE OUTSIDE PRISON. JOB TRAINING, CONTINUING EDUCATION, REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, AND INDETERMINATE SENTENCING ARE REPORTED TO FALL SHORT OF THEIR GOALS. BUT ONE FACTOR SEEMS TO LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION: MATURITY COUPLED WITH INTERACTION WITH A 'DECENT' CITIZEN. PRISONS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED BY PUBLIC DEMAND TO DO ANY MORE THAN PROTECT SOCIETY FROM THE DANGEROUS CRIMINAL, AND THE PUBLIC MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SEEING THAT THE EX-OFFENDER IS EMPLOYABLE. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (RFC)