Early jail conditions and work practices in America and Europe were appalling. India adopted its jail policies from England and, along with the rise in political liberalism and the corrections reform movement, instituted treatment programs (including employment opportunities) in its jails. Jail work programs in India have become considerably diversified. Inmates have been put on mechanized farming and dairy farming projects, taught modern trades like soapmaking and letter-printing, and given clerical work. Much emphasis is placed on maintenance work. Inmates are usually assigned arbitrarily to a vocational trade; their caste often influences the nature of their assignment. Few inmates see the rehabilitative value of work; most are apathetic and lethargic. To make work programs more goal-oriented and effective, planners should consider the range and organization of vocational training programs, devise appropriate incentive schemes, and orient inmates to their underlying objectives. This study was based on observations of and interviews with inmates and jail officials at one medium-sized jail in India. Data tables, the questionnaire, and over 200 references are included.