STRESS IS A KEY FACTOR IN UNDERSTANDING WHY MANY INDIVIDUALS EXHIBIT PATTERNS OF ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND ARE UNABLE TO BENEFIT FROM REHABILITATION EFFORTS ARE DESCRIBED ALONG WITH FOUR STUDIES CONDUCTED TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PROGRAMS WITH IMPRISONED CRIMINAL OFFENDERS. IN ALL THE STUDIES, THE BENEFITS OF TM IN REDUCING ANXIETY AND TENSION WERE CITED, AND IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH WAS DEMONSTRATED BY STANDARDIZED PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING INSTRUMENTS. THERE WERE NO REPORTED NEGATIVE EFFECTS. CONSISTENCY OF RESULTS REPORTED FROM SEVERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSION THAT CRIMINAL OFFENDERS BENEFIT FROM TM PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS OFFER A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CRIMINAL OFFENDERS BY HELPING THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY SATISFY THEIR NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS THROUGH LEGITIMATE ACTIVITY. IT IS STATED THAT THE CURRENT RISING CRIME RATE IN THE UNITED STATES MAKES IT IMPERATIVE THAT NO PROGRAM BE LEFT UNTRIED WHICH OFFERS A REASONABLE POSSIBILITY FOR ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF CRIMINAL REHABILITATION. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.