THE CLIENTS WERE A GROUP OF DIFFICULT MALE DELINQUENTS BETWEEN 20 AND 29 YEARS OLD LIVING IN A SPECIAL INSTITUTION BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ADJUST TO A USUAL JUVENILE CORRECTIONS FACILITY. THE UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS SOUGHT TO FORM A THERAPEUTIC THEATER GROUP, FIRST IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS AND COOPERATION BETWEEN CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND INMATES. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO RAISE THE SELF-ESTEEM OF THE RESIDENTS AND TO IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO FORM MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BY COUNTERACTING THE ABSOLUTE REGIME OF PRESCRIBED ROUTINE THROUGH ACTIVITIES WHICH ALLOW SELF-EXPRESSION. THE THEATER GROUP PROJECT, WHICH LASTED FOUR MONTHS AND INVOLVED SELECTION OF A PLAY FOR PRODUCTION, WAS ALSO INTENDED AS A PILOT FOR A PRACTICAL UNIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAM. ACCORDING TO THE THEORY APPLIED TO REALIZE THE PROJECT GOALS, RESPONSIBILITY MEANS FULFILLING ONE'S OWN BASIC NEEDS (I.E., LOVE AND SELF-RESPECT) WITHOUT INFRINGING ON THE FULFILLMENT OF OTHERS. THE SUPERVISED PROCESS OF THE INMATES' COMING TO GRIPS WITH REALITY, CALLED REALITY THERAPY, INVOLVES AN OPEN THERAPIST-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP, AND AIMS FOR A CLIENT EXPERIENCE OF SUCCESS. IN THE PROCESS, CLIENTS ARE HELPED TO ACQUIRE A FACILITY FOR JUDGING THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOPING THEIR OWN IDEAS. PRACTICAL STEPS FOR APPLYING THE THEORY IN THIS INSTANCE WERE CULTIVATION OF A CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROFESSORS AND THE INSTITUTION'S STAFF AND RESIDENTS AND SELF-OBSERVATION BY INMATES THROUGH ROLE PLAYING. EXPOSURE TO PLANNING ACTIVITIES REQUIRED RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR IN THE THEATER GROUP AND PROVIDED TEMPORARY FAILURE EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF SCHEDULE CONFLICTS. ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE THROUGH INVOLVEMENT OF THE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS IN PLANNING, MODIFICATION OF THE PLAN AND COMMITMENT OF THE PARTICIPANTS TO THE FINAL PLAN. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS A REJECTION OF ALL EXCUSES FOR NONATTENDANCE BY INMATES AND EVOLUTION OF CREATIVE ACTIVITY THROUGH ACTING AND BUILDING THE SET, CULMINATING IN THE SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION OF THE PLAY. THESE PROJECT RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THAT LIMITED GOALS SUCH AS IMPROVED INMATE SELF-ESTEEM AND BETTER CORRECTIONS OFFICER-INMATE COMMUNICATIONS CAN BE ACHIEVED IN A SHORT TIME PERIOD. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)