THIS ARTICLE ARGUES THAT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF A CODE OF ETHICS REGARDING THE USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH SHOULD BE THE PROTECTION OF THE RESEARCH SUBJECTS THEMSELVES, WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR STATUS AS PRISONERS, ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO MISTREATMENT. THE PROBLEMS OF RISK, INFORMED CONSENT, AND CONFIDENTIALITY, AS WELL AS THE DIFFICULTIES IN REVIEWING AND ENFORCING A CODE, ARE EXAMINED. THE BALANCE BETWEEN MORAL PROBLEMS AND RESEARCH PROBABILIITIES IS ALSO DISCUSSED. THE TREND TOWARD SUPERVISION OF RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS IS CLOSELY TIED TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND RECENT SOCIAL REFORMS CONCERNING THE RIGHTS OF MINORITIES. A CODE OF ETHICS CAN SERVE ONLY AS A GUIDE TO THE RESEARCHER, SINCE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING HUMAN SUBJECTS ULTIMATELY RESTS WITH HIM. NEVERTHELESS, PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES CAN EXERT A STRONG AND POSITIVE INFLUENCE. UNLESS THE PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES UNDERTAKE TO DEVELOP AND ENFORCE A CODE OF ETHICS, GOVERMENTAL INTERVENTION SUCH AS THAT DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF MINORITIES, APPEARS INEVITABLE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MPK)