THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE, CUSTODY, AND REHABILITATION OF MORE THAN 60,000 INMATES, BOTH JUVENILE AND ADULT, CONVICTED AND ON REMAND, WHO ARE CURRENTLY CONFINED IN THE DEPARTMENT'S 499 VARIED CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THAILAND. AMONG THE GOALS OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE INMATE SUPERVISION AND CUSTODY FOR THE MAXIMUM PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, INMATE PROGRAMS THAT AIM FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER OF REHABILITATED OFFENDERS RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY, PROVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS CONSISTED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS STANDARD MINIMUM RULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS, THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, AND THE PURSUIT OF IMPROVED CORRECTIONAL TECHNOLOGY THROUGH EVALUATION AND RESEARCH. THE CORRECTIONAL STAFF NUMBERED 4,523 IN 1969; IN 1978 THERE WERE 8,702 CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS. INMATES INCREASED AT A HIGHER RATE DURING THE SAME PERIOD, FROM 46,310 IN 1969 TO 69,797 IN 1978. THE RISE IN THE INMATE POPULATION IS ATTRIBUTED TO UPWARD TRENDS IN COURT COMMITMENTS AND SENTENCE LENGTHS. DURING 1978, MORE THAN 7,300 INMATES WERE ENGAGED IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING COURSES INCLUDING CARPENTRY, WOOD-CRAFT, BARBERING, COOKING, MAT MAKING, FARMING, AUTO REPAIRING, ETC., AND 4,169 PASSED EXAMINATIONS AND WERE AWARDED VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATES. INSTITUTIONAL RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS WERE REGULARLY PROVIDED ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. BUDDHIST INSTRUCTION WAS ATTENDED BY 2,389 INMATES; THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO DEVELOP INMATE RELIGIOUS BELIEFS TO ENCOURAGE MATURITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND MORAL STRENGTH. EVERY CONVICTED PRISONER IS REQUIRED TO ENGAGE IN USEFUL WORK, WITH A CHOICE OF 20 TRADE AREAS OF A VOCATIONAL NATURE. THE TOTAL REVENUE FROM THE SALE OF PRISON-MADE GOODS WAS 115,786,876 BAHT, OF WHICH 50 PERCENT OF THE NET PROFITS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE PRISONERS INVOLVED IN PRODUCTION. MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO INMATES VIA MOBILE MEDICAL UNITS THAT ROTATE AMONG THE INSTITUTIONS. VOLUNTARY RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES PROVIDED AT THE INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE LIBRARIES, TELEVISION, FILMS, MUSICAL ACTIVITIES, AND SPORTS AND GAMES. THE SUM OF 272,516 BAHT WAS SPENT ON THE PURCHASE OF RECREATIONAL SUPPLIES. IN ADDITION TO A PAROLE PROGRAM ADMINISTERING INDIVIDUAL RELEASE UNDER SUPERVISION, COLLECTIVE PARDON IS OCCASIONALLY GRANTED BY ROYAL DECREE UPON SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT NATIONAL EVENTS. IN 1978, 17,502 PRISONERS WERE RELEASED BY ROYAL PARDON. PRERELEASE PROGRAMS AND AFTERCARE FACILITIES ALSO OPERATE WITHIN THE THAI SYSTEM OF CORRECTIONS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE SUPPLIED; PHOTOGRAPHIC ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED.