The effects of decarceration on criminals, delinquents, and the insane are considered from the point of view that 'community treatment' actually represents the abandonment of institutional controls. The first part of the book examines, in individual chapters, deviance and the dynamics of control, the relationship between capitalism and modern social control apparatus, and the significance of decarceration on criminals, delinquents, and the institutionalized mentally ill. Part 2 focuses on the limitations and inadequacies of conventional explanations for decarceration. Due to the introduction of tranquilizing and psychoactive drugs, many of the institutionalized mentally ill patients have been released into communities. While the introduction of psychotropic drugs may have facilitated the policy of early discharge by reducing the incidence of florid symptoms, other problems relating to the release of the patients into the community have emerged. In this context, social science and social policy are critiqued for not providing what had been considered humane treatment of the decarcerated. Part 3 focuses on the structural sources of the failure of the 19 century decarceration movement. An alternative account for the 'supposed' success of the decarceration movement is presented. In the afterword to the second edition the author argues for a reexamination of the decarceration programs. Tabular data and 418 references are provided.