RECREATION IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EVERYONE'S DAILY LIFE. IN THE PENAL INSTITUTION IT SERVES TO MAINTAIN NOT ONLY PHYSICAL WELL BEING BUT ALSO MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH. LEISURE NEEDS OF INMATES WERE FIRST RECOGNIZED IN AMERICA IN THE VIRGINIA COLONIES OF THE 1600'S WHEN PRISONS WERE FIRST ESTABLISHED. DESPITE THIS RECOGNITION, THE PREVALENT ATTITUDE HELD THAT PRISON IS FOR PUNISHMENT AND RECREATION HAS NO PLACE IN SUCH INSTITUTIONS. THIS VIEW HAS PREVAILED EVEN INTO THE ENLIGHTENED 1970'S. IT MUST BE RECOGNIZED THAT A STRONG PROGRAM OF LEISURE SERVICES HELPS TO ACHIEVE MANY PURPOSES. FOREMOST, THERE IS THE POSITIVE BENEFIT TO THE INMATE AS WELL AS BENEFITS TO THE INSTITUTION. AS INMATE MORALE IMPROVES, THE INMATE BECOMES MORE COOPERATIVE; IMPROVED INMATE MORALE LEADS TO GOOD STAFF MORALE. IN ADDITION, RECREATION CAN SERVE IN DEVELOPING DECISIONMAKING ABILITIES BY THE INMATE. THE RECREATION DIRECTOR SHOULD SERVE AS A MEMBER OF THE TOTAL TREATMENT TEAM AND SHOULD PLAN A PROGRAM WHICH BALANCES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND CULTURAL PURSUITS. SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS INCLUDE SPORTS, MOVIES, TELEVISION, RADIO, HOBBIES, AND MUSIC; POPULAR ENTERTAINERS HAVE PERFORMED AT MANY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE COURTS HAVE BECOME THE MAJOR AREA FOR PUBLICIZING DEFICIENCIES, SUCH AS LACK OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS, IN CORRECTIONS. IN SOME CASES, THE COURTS ORDERED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS IN STATE INSTITUTIONS AND LOCAL JAILS. AMONG THE MOST WIDELY ACKNOWLEDGED STANDARDS FOR CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND PROGRAMS ARE THOSE PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION. WHETHER OR NOT THE FIELD OF PENOLOGY MOVES FROM THE REHABILITATIVE TO THE RETRIBUTION MODEL, THERE WILL STILL BE A NEED FOR RECREATION SERVICES. REFERENCE NOTES ARE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE.