THE STUDY IS BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF PRISONER RECORDS BETWEEN 1973 AND 1975, FURNISHED BY THE GENERAL CORRECTIONAL ADMINISTRATION OF SPAIN. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE OFFENDERS' FAMILIES, POSTRELEASE EMPLOYERS, AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT (CRUCIAL FACTORS IN THE SUCCESSFUL REINTEGRATION OF THE RELEASED PRISONER) WAS COLLECTED BY MEANS OF NONSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH FAMILIES, EMPLOYERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND THE EX-PRISONERS THEMSELVES. RESULTS INDICATE THAT FAMILIES TENDED TO HIDE THE OFFENDERS' CRIMINAL PAST FROM DISTANT RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. THE SAME TENDENCY WAS DISCOVERED FOR EMPLOYERS WHO ALSO BELIEVED THAT A GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE OFFENDERS' PAST WOULD MAKE SOCIAL REINTEGRATION MORE DIFFICULT. ALL EMPLOYERS HIRING RELEASED PRISONERS CLAIMED THAT THEY WERE MOTIVATED BY THE DESIRE TO HELP EX-OFFENDERS REINTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY. THE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION APPEARS AS A DEHUMANIZING AND DESTABILIZING INFLUENCE WHICH UNBALANCES INMATES AND MAKES THEM UNABLE TO RESUME THEIR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES. OVERALL, THE MAIN HINDRANCES TO SOCIAL REINTEGRATION INCLUDE THE HARMFUL RESULTS OF PRISONIZATION, THE PRISONERS' SEPARATION FROM SOCIETY DURING THE PRISON TERM, THE INABILITY TO ADJUST TO THE FREE ENVIRONMENT, THE FEAR OF DISCLOSING THE PAST, AND THE DIFFICULTY OF FINDING EMPLOYMENT. NO SUPPORTING DATA OR REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. --IN FRENCH.