THE TREATMENT MODEL IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT THE ROOTS OF CRIMINALITY ARE IN THE INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OF THE OFFENDER AND THAT DEVIANCE IS REINFORCED BY THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS THAT COMPOSED THE INMATE'S LIFE BEFORE INCARCERATION. MARION CENTER, IN ORDER TO RECONSTITUTE THE PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOR OF INMATES, ISOLATES THEM FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND OTHER INMATES WHO MIGHT PROVIDE A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE. WHILE ISOLATED FROM PERCEIVED NEGATIVE INFLUENCES, THE INMATES ARE CONDITIONED TO ACCEPT THE AUTHORITY, VALUES, AND BEHAVIORAL NORMS DETERMINED BY THE INSTITUTIONAL AND TREATMENT STAFF. THIS IS DONE THROUGH PUNITIVE THERAPY. IN SHORT, THE TREATMENT MODEL IS A TOTAL ASSAULT UPON THE EXISTING PERSONALITY, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIOR OF THE INMATES UNDER THE BELIEF THAT THEY NEED TO BE RECREATED IN THE IMAGE OF THE TRADITIONAL MIDDDLE-CLASS VALUES REPRESENTED BY THE STAFF. THE INMATES ARE HELD IN THE PROGRAM AN INDETERMINATE PERIOD OF TIME UNTIL THIS RECREATION IS DEEMED TO HAVE OCCURRED. THIS TREATMENT MODEL IS NOT ONLY INHUMANE IN ITS APPLICATION, BUT LACKS ANY BASE IN CREDIBLE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE THAT SUCH MEANS PRODUCE DESIRED RESULTS. RESEARCH INTO THE CAUSES OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR IDENTIFIES SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS AS BEING CRITICAL FACTORS. NEGATIVE AND PUNITIVE ENVIRONMENTS SPAWN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. A TREATMENT ENVIRONMENT THAT PERPETUATES NEGATIVE SHOCKS AND ASSAULTS UPON A PERSON'S IDENTITY AND CURRENT WORTH CAN ONLY PERPETUATE THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT PRODUCES THE CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN THE FIRST PLACE. ANY REFORM MEASURES SHORT OF FUNDAMENTAL SOCIAL CHANGE ARE SHORT-SIGHTED. IN THE MEANTIME, MORE HUMANE WAYS MUST BE DEVELOPED FOR DEALING WITH INDIVIDUAL DEVIANTS. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)