One hundred prison inmates were interviewed about their perceptions. Most inmates perceived their sentences as fair, although a substantial minority thought they were too lenient or too severe. Few inmates see plea bargaining as fair, while most see it as either excessively lenient or severe. Expectations for length of sentence came from either lawyers or personal knowledge of the criminal justice system. Neither source provided reliable information, and offenders generally were unable to predict their sentences with any degree of accuracy. This was true regardless of offense severity or previous criminal experience. (Author abstract)