A total of 65 offenders (58 males, 7 females) participated in the study, which used the Life Experiences Checklist and the General Health Questionnaire. Findings show that the quality of life of the offender in this study was, on the whole, poor when compared with that of the general population. The offenders who lived in private households were better off than the rest of the offenders, particularly those living in prisons and hospitals. They were able to enjoy more leisure activities, such as going to pubs and watching videos and television at home, and had more interaction with family members and friends. They had more freedom and opportunities. All the offenders were considered to be psychiatric cases, and their psychiatric conditions were apparently independent of residence, but were associated with their quality of life. The more severe their social dysfunction and depression, the less they could enjoy their leisure activities. The more severe their somatic and anxiety problems, the less they could make use of the opportunities available to them. Because the data confirm that poor quality of life is found to be associated with psychological distress, an attempt to improve it should be part of a treatment plan, even though the transient lifestyles of the care recipients make it difficult for this issue to be addressed. 4 tables and 15 references