In November 1975, inmate disturbances broke out at New York City's principal jail, the House of Detention for Men on Riker's Island. The inmate spokesman requested the presence of Judge Lasker to observe negotiations between inmates and city officials. The judge's compliance with the request marked a turning point in the relationship between the judge and the city's correction commissioner; cooperation between the two subsequently resulted in many reform measures in the correctional system. To date, Lasker has had a more enduring influence on conditions in New York City jails than any governor, mayor, or correction commissioner. Lasker has been effective because he has immersed himself in the smallest details of prison administration, yet has never overstepped his role as a judge. He was directly responsible for the closing of the Manhattan House of Detention, a facility characterized by inhumane conditions. Extensive renovation was ordered by the judge before he would allow the facility to reopen. Since this case, the judge has heard a continuous stream of prisoners' rights cases, most of which have ended in consent decrees between the city and the plaintiffs. Lasker believes in imprisonment as a last resort, and advocates greater use of alternatives such as community service and probation. Photographs are included.