ALTHOUGH IT IS COMMONLY BELIEVED THAT VIOLENCE IN SOCIETY HAS INCREASED IN MODERN TIMES, VIOLENT BEHAVIOR IS AN HISTORICAL CONSTANT, REPORTED AND DESPISED LESS IN THE PAST. WHILE ABUSING PATIENTS IN MENTAL HOSPITALS WAS COMMON DISCIPLINARY PRACTICE IN THE PAST, IT IS NOW REJECTED FOR BOTH STAFF AND PATIENTS; SOMETIMES PROFESSIONALS INTRODUCE OVERLY SUPPRESSIVE REGIMENS WHICH HURT PATIENTS IN ORDER TO PREVENT VIOLENCE. HARD DISCIPLINE PREVENTS VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ONLY IF PUNISHMENT FOR THE LATTER IS CERTAIN AND SAVAGE, BUT SUCH PUNISHMENT AND THINKING IS INHUMANE. PRISONS COMMONLY USE VIOLENCE AND HUMILIATING PUNISHMENT TO SUPPRESS VIOLENCE, AND TRENDS HAVE BEEN TO DEVELOP HARSHER PUNISHMENTS SUCH AS CAGES AND ROUGHER SOLITARY CONFINEMENTS. HOWEVER, A RECENT EXPERIMENT IN A SCOTTISH PRISON DEMONSTRATES THAT VIOLENCE IS BEST ELIMINATED WITH HUMANE TREATMENT. AT BARLINNIE PRISON, STAFF AND PRISONERS LIVED AND WORKED TOGETHER WITHOUT REGARD TO PRISONER-STAFF ROLE. VIOLENCE AMONG THE PRISONERS DISAPPEARED AND REHABILITATION WAS REALIZED. THE REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM CONDEMNS THE TRADITIONAL, PUNITATIVE PRISON SYSTEM, BUT MAINTAINS THAT MANY PEOPLE REJECT HUMANE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS EVEN IF IT PREVENTS VIOLENCE. THE SCOTTISH PROGRAM WAS DISCONTINUED DUE TO DRUG ABUSES BY AN INMATE, EVEN THOUGH DRUG USE IS RAMPANT IN ALL PRISONS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)