THE INTERVIEWS WERE PART OF A STUDY OF CRISIS-PRONE MALE INMATES, ADULT AND ADOLESCENT, IN NEW YORK'S PRISONS. MOST OF THE ADOLESCENTS IN THE STUDY SAMPLE WERE HOUSED IN INSTITUTIONS DESIGNATED FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS, WHILE THE REMAINDER WERE IN MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISONS. THE SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO RECONSTRUCT THE EVENTS, FEELINGS, AND CONCERNS LEADING TO SELF-DESTRUCTIVE ACTS. THEIR ACCOUNTS WERE ANALYZED IN THE CONTEXT OF A TYPOLOGY INCORPORATING PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS (IMPOTENCE, FEAR, DEPENDENCY) AND LEVELS OR TYPES OF CRISIS (SITUATIONAL, NEUROTIC, PSYCHOTIC). COMPARED TO ADULTS, YOUTHS WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY PRONE TO THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF CRISIS: CRISES THAT REFLECT AN INABILITY TO MAINTAIN SELF-CONTROL IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT (ISOLATION PANIC, A SITUATIONAL FEAR THEME); CRISES THAT SIGNAL LAST-DITCH EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE FLAGGING SOCIAL SUPPORTS (SELF-CERTIFICATION, A NEUROTIC DEPENDENCY THEME); AND CRISES THAT MARK A DECLARATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL BANKRUPTCY IN THE FACE OF SOCIAL PRESSURES AND THREATS (FATE AVOIDANCE, A NEUROTIC FEAR THEME). IN OTHER WORDS, THE YOUTHS DISPLAYED DISTINCT PATTERNS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL BREAKDOWN RELATED TO CONCRETE COPING TESTS POSED BY THE PRISON ENVIRONMENT AND TO SELF-ESTEEM PROBLEMS POSED BY FAILURE OF EXTERNAL (FAMILY) AND INTERNAL (PEER) SUPPORT SYSTEMS. EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEWS ON WHICH THESE CONCLUSIONS ARE BASED ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT IMPRISONMENT PRESENTS SPECIAL PROBLEMS FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS AS IT BOTH DISRUPTS AND SHAPES THEIR DEVELOPMENT. THE VICTIMS OF PRISON--THOSE WHO SUCCUMB TO THEIR RIGID, UNRESPONSIVE SETTING, REJECTING FAMILIES AND ABUSING PEERS--TOO OFTEN ARE REGARDED AS MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AND CANDIDATES FOR CUSTODIAL CARE. PRISON STAFF COULD DO MORE TO MODULATE THE ENVIRONMENTS OF THESE SUSCEPTIBLE INMATES, TO BUILD MATURE LINKS BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND TO ASSAUGE THEIR FEARS. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)