AN INTRODUCTORY ANALYSIS DISCUSSES WHY INDIVIDUALS BECOMES GUARDS, HOW THEY MEET THE DAILY DEMANDS OF A COMPLEX JOB, AND HOW THEY RESPOND TO CHANGING CONDITIONS. CHANGES IN THE PRISON WORLD ARE EXPLORED FROM THE GUARDS' PERSPECTIVE. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE THE RISE OF REHABILITATION AS AN OBJECTIVE OF IMPRISONMENT, THE ENTRY OF THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY INTO DAILY PRISON OPERATION, AND CHANGES IN THE SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF INMATE POPULATIONS. A SECOND SECTION EXPLORES HOW INDIVIDUALS ENTER GUARD WORK AND LEARN THE JOB AND THE PROCESS OF EMPLOYEE SELECTION AND TRAINING. READINGS EXAMINE THE LAXNESS OF PRISON STAFF SELECTION AND TRAINING IN THAT SCREENING PROCEDURES NEITHER ROOT OUT UNFIT APPLICANTS NOR IDENTIFY THE BEST RECRUITS. THE DIFFUSE SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN THE JOB ARE TOO DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY, AND FORMAL TRAINING IS POOR. ENTERING PRISON WORK ALMOST ACCIDENTALLY, MOST GUARDS RECEIVE THE IMPORTANT TRAINING ON THE JOB THROUGH INFORMAL INTERACTION WITH INMATES AND THE GUARD SUBCULTURE AND ARE GRADUALLY SOCIALIZED AFTER EXPOSURE TO JOB DEMANDS. THE DYNAMICS AND DIFFICULTIES OF CONTEMPORARY GUARD WORK ARE PRESENTED BY MEANS OF INTERVIEWS WITH GUARDS IN SEVERAL STATE PRISONS, AS WELL AS BY A DISCUSSION OF GUARDS' SELF-CONCEPTS AND PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL SERVICES PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATORS, AND INMATES. AN ACCOUNT OF ONE MAN'S DAY ON THE JOB GIVES GLIMPSES OF THE COMPROMISES AND PRESSURES THAT OFFICERS EXPERIENCE DAILY, AND NARRATIVES ON INMATE RELATIONS IN MAXIMUM-SECURITY PRISONS SHOW THAT GUARDS HAVE LIMITED POWER OVER INMATES AND, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, ARE RELUCTANT TO USE THE POWER THEIR POSITIONS AND UNIFORMS SIGNIFY. THE PROBLEM OF UNCERTAINTY IN GUARD WORK IS DESCRIBED BY EXAMINING FOUR SOURCES OF UNPREDICTABILITY: MALFUNCTIONS OF PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, PROBLEMS AMONG EMPLOYEES, PROBLEMS CREATED BY INMATES, AND DIFFICULTIES PRODUCED BY THE FREE COMMUNITY. THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL WORKING CONDITIONS OF GUARD WORK ALSO ARE CONSIDERED. AN ANALYSIS OF GUARD-INMATE RELATIONS IN AN ENGLISH PRISON POINTS OUT CONSIDERABLE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN AMERICAN AND ENGLISH STAFFING ATTITUDES AND THE POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE. FINALLY, THE BOOK DISCUSSES SEVERAL WAYS IN WHICH GUARDS REACT TO CHANGING PRISON CONDITIONS SUCH AS RETIREMENT, VIOLENCE, AND UNIONIZATION. FOOTNOTES, REFERENCES, AND A COMPREHENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. FOR SEPARATE ARTICLES, SEE NCJ 66917-19. (PRG)