Comprehensive planning efforts have had little impact on the effectiveness of criminal justice operations in the United States to date. The number of prisoners held in institutions has continued to increase, institutional overcrowding has escalated, and changing priorities in Federal prosecution strategies have reduced Federal prison populations while increasing State prisons' populations. During the 1980's, crime and violence will increase, overcrowding will continue, correctional staff will feel increasingly isolated and ignored, sentencing disparity will continue, challenges to traditional correctional issues -- such as due process -- will remain high, and the move to standards and accreditation will accelerate. To deal with these anticipated developments, corrections planning efforts must use the best available advisors from business, academia, and the general public; must use staff who can plan realistically to achieve goals; and must include the concept that violent and dangerous offenders must be segregated not only from society, but from the ordinary inmate population as well. Community and prison industries programming should be emphasized with the goal of integrating ex-offenders into the labor market in a free society. Increased community involvement and improved managerial practices are needed, and a national task force should be established to consider the treatment of dangerous offenders, white-collar and political criminals, criminal code revisions, and strategies for accomplishing greater goals with fewer resources.