The concept differs from general incapacitation in its attempt to replace bluntness with selectivity. Under a strategy of selective incapacitation, probation and short terms of incarceration are given to convicted offenders who are identified as being less likely to commit frequent and serious crimes. Longer terms of incarceration are given to those identified as more crime prone. An attractive aspect of the selective incapacitation concept is its potential for bringing about a reduction in crime without increase in prison populations. This reduction could be substantial. The concept of selective incapacitation is controversial for two reasons: (1) it represents a departure from the more traditional purposes of criminal sanctions, i.e., retribution, deterrence, and rehabilitation and (2) its effectiveness is based largely on the statistical prediction of criminality. Thirteen footnotes are provided.