ALTHOUGH A LARGE NUMBER OF RULES AND PRACTICES GOVERN VISITS TO PENITENTIARIES, DRUGS AND WEAPONS FLOW FREELY INTO THE PRISONS, BROUGHT IN EITHER BY VISITORS OR BY GUARDS. IN THE 44-CELL BRITISH COLUMBIA PENITENTIARY 'PENTHOUSE', A SOLITARY CONFINEMENT UNIT CONDEMNED IN 1975 AS 'CRUEL AND UNUSUAL', INMATES ARE ALLOWED 1 VISITOR A WEEK. CONVERSATIONS ARE MONITORED BY GUARDS AND, IN SOME INSTANCES, RECORDINGS ARE MADE. MOST SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AREAS EXAMINED BY SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHICH ARE THE MAJOR FOCUS OF THIS VOLUME, WERE SMALL CONCRETE CELLS WITH SOLID STEEL DOORS CONTAINING PEEPHOLES THAT CAN BE OPENED ONLY FROM OUTSIDE. A LIGHT BURNS NIGHT AND DAY IN THESE CELLS; EXERCISE IS OFTEN LIMITED TO A 30-MINUTE WALK IN A 75-FOOT LONG CORRIDOR. IN THESE PLACES, MEN OFTEN COMMIT SUICIDE OR SUFFER HEART ATTACKS OR STROKES AT UNUSUALLY YOUNG AGES. WOMEN ALSO SUFFER ABUSE IN PRISONS, PARTICULARLY FROM MALE GUARDS WHO CONDUCT BODY SEARCHES OF FEMALES WHOSE ONLY OFFENSE MAY HAVE BEEN SHOPLIFTING. ROUTINELY, MENTALLY ILL OR RETARDED WOMEN ARE SENT TO PRISONS WHERE TREATMENT IS UNAVAILABLE, WHERE CIVIL RIGHTS AND LEGAL RECOURSE ARE LOST, AND WHERE ATTACKS FROM LESBIANS OR GUARDS ARE COMMON. OTHER ABUSES INVOLVE GUARDS' MISUSE OF THEIR UNION PRIVILEGES, THE SYSTEM'S POWER TO IMPRISON PEOPLE AFTER THEIR SENTENCE EXPIRATION, AND PROBLEMS WITH COUNSELING AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR INMATES. THE SUBCOMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS AREA ARE PRESENTED AS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE BASIC RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE WAS THAT THE PENITENTIARY SERVICE BE INDEPENDENT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYMENT ACT AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE STAFF RELATIONS ACT. AN AGENCY RESEMBLING THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE SHOULD BE CREATED, WITH THE PRISON GUARDS GIVEN THE SAME PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AS MOUNTIES. SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE LISTED, AND SOME PRISON PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PROVIDED.