Development of a psychometric instrument intended primarily for criminal offenders has taken place in the form of the Carlson Psychological Survey (CPS). Review of psychological, psychiatric, and social work reports in the files of a correctional institution produced four basic content areas -chemical abuse, thought disturbance, antisocial tendencies, and self-depreciation. An item format built around a gradation of five degrees of applicability to the subject offers sufficient variety of responses that subjects do not have difficulty finding their appropriate category. A separate space for comments on each item was also created. The test was administered to two samples of 206 subjects each, inmates in an Ontario Canada, correctional center for adult male-first incarcerates. Response biases were controlled through item selection based on endorsement frequencies, desirability ratings, and faking studies. Comparison studies with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) highlight the CPS sensitivity to the offender population. Discriminability of the CPS was shown in its sensitivity to differences among behaviorally defined groups. Preliminary work with the CPS to identify meaningful offender types is significant but needs further work. A total of 13 references are supplied.