Federal funding for staff development activities have reached a plateau; pressure by the media about crime, punishment, and criminal justice has been established between treatment and security staff members. Therefore, it has become necessary to rethink the methods of planning staff development measures for prison staff. Four predictable problem areas should be considered in planning successful programs. First, staff development activities aimed at confronting the typical malaise within prisoners are likely to be more successful when based at a site away from the work environment. This arrangement allows staff to escape the stress inherent in working in a prison. Second, alternatives to the standarization and centralization of programs should be considered which offer greater flexibility in meeting personnel needs. Third, a multilevel, hierarchical involvement in the plannning of inservice programs is likely to produce the best program outcomes. Finally, to overcome the traditional conflicts among prison personnel, staff training programs should be made more comprehensive and inclusive. Conflict between different groups of prison staff members has had a debilitating effect on service and morale. Mixing staff members with different roles in training classes might help to offset this conflict; however, role separation will probably continue in most prisons. Six references are included. ERIC abstract modified