The human needs, coping skills, and pain/crisis model postulates a cause-and-effect relationship between unmet human needs and certain types of destructive behavior. The model's major assumptions are that (1) all people develope coping skills or behavior to meet basic human needs, (2) varying degrees of pain are produced when high-risk and low-risk coping skills are used to satisfy basic needs, and (3) creative problemsolving, acting out, and neurotic stability are three basic ways to cope with the pain or crisis arising from unmet needs. Maslow points to a hierarchy of needs, whereas Thomas Rusk names four needs of prime importance: (1) security/control, (2) self-worth, (3) fun, and (4) love. Clients of the criminal justice system and of drug treatment programs share significant inadequacies in the coping skills of identifying with role models, developing family responsibilities, problemsolving, intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, judgment, and responding to situations. Creative problemsolving is the most productive method of dealing with a failure to cope. Another method much more damaging -- acting out -- takes many forms, including psychosis, violence, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Clients that are common to both criminal justice and drug treatment programs usually come from the 'acting out' groups, and usually have poorly developed coping skills. The major task of rehabilitating these clients is to provide them with adequate coping skills to get their needs satisfied without their having to resort to high-risk behaviors. This goal would benefit both society and the individual client. A diagram of the human needs, coping skills and pain/crisis model is presented. Twenty-two references are provided.