THIS FILM IS AIMED TOWARD STUDENTS OF SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY, JUVENILE JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS, AND CONCERNED CIVIC GROUPS. ITS GOAL IS TO APPRAISE THE ISSUES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND TO PROVOKE DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM. IT PRESENTS A PORTRAIT OF SHOTGUN JOE, A CHRONIC OFFENDER WHO HAS BECOME ACCLIMATED TO HIS PRISON ENVIRONMENT. THE FILM'S SUBJECT RELATES HOW HE WAS NAMED SHOTGUN JOE AND GRAPHICALLY DESCRIBES FOUR CRIMINAL INCIDENTS. THE EPISODES REVEAL HIS STORYTELLING ABILITY AND ALSO PROVIDE AN INSIGHT INTO HIS PERSONALITY. INTERSPERSED AMONG HIS STORIES ARE SHOTS OF PRISON STAFF DESCRIBING HIM AND GIVING THEIR PREDICTIONS OF HIS FUTURE. A TEACHER AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL STAFF NEED OPINIONS ABOUT HIM AND EMPHASIZE HIS NEED TO PROJECT A CERTAIN IMAGE TO OTHERS. JOE IS SHOWN IN HIS CELL READING ALOUD LETTERS FROM MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY AND FROM HIS SOCIAL WORKER, REVEALING HIS ATTITUDES TOWARD THESE PEOPLE AND THE EFFECT THEY HAVE ON HIS LIFE. HIS EXTREME MOOD CHANGES ARE PORTRAYED. SHOWN DURING CHURCH SERVICES, HE APPEARS CALM AND PEACEFUL, BUT LATER HE EXPLAINS TO AN INTERVIEWER WHY HE THINKS THAT SOMEDAY HE WILL LOSE CONTROL OF HIS TEMPER AND WILL PROBABLY KILL SOMEONE. THE COMMENTATOR CONCLUDES BY STATING THAT THE MAJORITY OF OFFENDERS DO NOT RETURN TO PRISON, BUT THAT SOME, LIKE SHOTGUN JOE, BECOME ACCLIMATED TO PRISON LIFE. HE REVEALS THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH OFFENDERS LIKE JOE, BUT SUGGESTS THAT THE ANSWER TO BREAKING THE CYCLE OF RETURNING TO PRISON MUST INVOLVE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES OUTSIDE THE PRISON AND NOT MAKING CONFINEMENT ANY MORE ATTRACTIVE. AN INSTRUCTOR'S GUIDE IS PROVIDED WITH THE FILM TO AID IN DISCUSSION. (VDA)