THE ANALYSIS REFLECTS PERCEPTIONS AND STUDIES OF NEW YORK GANGS, EX-ADDICTS, AND EX-CRIMINALS; ONE AUTHOR'S EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY SESSIONS WITH INSTITUTIONALIZED OFFENDERS; AND THE OTHER AUTHOR'S INDEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH 50 OFFENDERS IN AND OUT OF PRISON. IT IS CONTENDED THAT THE BASIC PERSONALITY OF THE MAJORITY OF CRIMINALS HAS SHIFTED FROM THE WELL-TRAINED, RESOURCEFUL, 'ETHICAL'OFFENDER, TO A NEW, UNSKILLED, RECKLESS DEVIANT TYPE. THE NEW CRIMINAL IS MORE LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED WITH EMOTIONAL GRATIFICATION THAN WITH MATERIAL PROFIT. UNLIKE THE BREAKING-IN PROCESS OF THE CRIMINAL OF THE PAST, THE NEW CRIMINAL'S TRAINING AS A 'GOOD CRIMINAL' IS LIKELY TO BE SKETCHY. THE OLD CRIMINAL CODE OF HONOR AMONG THIEVES IS BECOMING OUTMODED. NEW CRIMINALS ARE MORE LIKELY TO TURN IN THEIR PARTNERS, TO CHEAT ON THEM, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL ERRORS IN THEIR CRIMES. NEW CRIMINALS ARE ALSO YOUNGER AND MORE LIKELY TO BE ADDICTS. CHANGES IN THE CRIMINAL TYPE MAY BE RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: (1) THE INCREASING DISORGANIZATION OF THE SLUM CONDITION AND THE DEMISE OF THE CRIMINAL LADDER IN THE SLUM; (2) THE DISAPPEARANCE OF TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT SYSTEMS FOR YOUTH PERSONALLY PREDISPOSED TOWARD A LIFE OF PROFESSIONAL CRIME; AND (3) THE IMPACT OF IMPROVED POLICE TECHNOLOGY ON THE OLD CRIMINAL CULTURE. THERE MAY BE A CLOSE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE RATE OF SOCIAL CHANGE AND THE TYPE OF CRIMINAL PRODUCED BY SOCIETY.