A STUDY SETS FORTH THE ARGUMENT THAT CROWDING IS NOT GENERALLY STRESSFUL, THAT IT DOES NOT PRODUCE MENTAL DISTURBANCES, AND THAT IT IS NOT A CAUSE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. AN ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT THE LARGER VARIABLES OF SOCIAL CLASS PLUS CONDITIONS OF SOCIAL CHANGE SURROUNDING ETHNIC AND CULTURAL GROUPS MUST AFFECT THE INTRAPSYCHIC FUNCTIONING OF INDIVIDUALS, AND SUCH RESULTANT VARIABLES AS CRIME AND SOCIOPATHY. A DISCUSSION SHOWS THAT BLACK FAMILY VIOLENCE IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS FACTORS. AN EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRAIN DYSFUNCTION AND CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR PROFFERS BRAIN DYSFUNCTION AS AN ORGANIC DETERMINANT OF STRESS. STRATEGIES ARE PRESENTED FOR A TRANSACTIONAL VIEW OF PRISON STRESS THAT HIGHLIGHTS DIFFERENTIAL INMATE VULNERABILITY TO STRESS AND ASSUMES DIFFERENTIAL STRESSOR PROPERTIES (OR AMELIORATIVE CAPACITIES) OF PRISON SETTINGS. A SERIES OF THEORETICAL APPROACHES, RESEARCH MODELS AND ISSUES, AND FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED THAT DEAL WITH CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AS RELATED TO ECONOMIC CHANGE AND STRESS. A QUANTITATIVE METHOD IS USED TO ASSESS THE LIFE SITUATION SURROUNDING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND SUBSEQUENT ARREST. IN ADDITION, ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF STRESS REACTION AND CRIME AND TO STRESS AND ASSAULT IN A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF AMERICAN FAMILIES. REFERENCES, TABLES, AND GRAPHS PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FOR THE PAPERS. FOR SPECIFIC PAPERS, SEE NCJ # 67801-07. (MHP)