THESE PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED REDUCTIONS IN ANXIETY, NEUROTICISM, HOSTILITY, AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR AMONG INMATES IN MINIMUM TO MODERATE SECURITY PRISONS. MAJOR FINDINGS WERE THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH LEVEL OF THE TM SUBJECTS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE CONTROLS. THEY WERE LESS ANXIOUS, LESS PRONE TO VIOLENCE, MORE STABLE, AND HAD AN IMPROVED SELF-CONCEPT. THE TM SUBJECTS EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE POSITIVE SELF-REPORTS ON SLEEP PATTERNS. THEY NEEDED LESS TIME TO FALL ASLEEP; HAD DEEPER, MORE CONINTUOUS SLEEP; AND A TENDENCY TOWARDS A MORE RESTFUL QUALITY OF SLEEP, OPEN SELF-CRITICISM, LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE, AND RESTING PULSE RATE, SMOKING HABITS DID NOT CHANGE. ACCEPTABILITY WAS GAUGED BY A 90 PERCENT ATTENDANCE RECORD FOR THE DURATION OF THE 12-WEEK PROGRAM AND THE FACT THAT APPROXIMATELY 450 ADDITIONAL INMATES REQUESTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN FUTURE TM GROUPS. ANXIETY, TENSION, AND INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS FACING PRISON AUTHORITIES AND INMATES. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TM PROGRAM IN REDUCING THESE PROBLEMS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)