OBSERVATION OF MORE THAN 15 CASES OF MANIPULATIVE SIB IN INMATES AT A TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION EXPERIMENTAL MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY SHOWED NO MORE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY THAN THE USUAL SOCIOPATHY FOUND IN GENERAL PRISON POPULATIONS. MOST COMMON SIB FORMS WERE LACERATION OF THE EXTREMITIES WITH RAZOR BLADES OR OTHER SHARP OBJECTS AND INGESTION OF FOREIGN BODIES SUCH AS METAL UTENSILS OR RAZOR BLADES. THE INMATE USUALLY SELF-MUTILATED TO DRAW ATTENTION, TO BE TAKEN OUT OF HIS CELL, OR TO RECEIVE DRUGS. INTERVENTIONS INVOLVING SECLUSION OR LOST GOOD AND HONOR TIME FAILED TO EXTINGUISH SIB. VARIABLES THAT INCREASE SIB PROBABILITY MAY INCLUDE (1) REDUCTION OF DESIRABLE OPTIONS, (2) LIMITED PROBLEM-SOLVING REPERTOIRE, AND (3) OBSERVATION OF A MUTILATION FOLLOWED BY DESIRED CONSEQUENCES. INMATES WHO MODELED THE SIB WERE THE MOST INADEQUATE IN TERMS OF SOCIAL SKILLS. HOWEVER, THIS MIMICKING EFFECT OCCURRED ONLY WHEN EXCESSIVE ATTENTION AND EUPHORIC ANALGESICS WERE GIVEN TO THE MUTILATOR. A TREATMENT STRATEGY MUST BE A CONSISTENT TEAM EFFORT INCLUDING ALL STAFF THAT COME IN CONTACT WITH THE MUTILATOR. DURING THE COMPULSIVE CYCLE, THE TREATMENT TEAM MUST KEEP THE MUTILATOR ABSOLUTELY SEPARATED FROM ALL OBJECTS THAT COULD BE USED FOR FURTHER MUTILATION AND USE A STRICTLY OPERANT EXTINCTION PARADIGM ON THE PATIENT. THE ENVIRONMENTAL TREATMENT APPROACH IS RECOMMENDED BECAUSE IT RECOGNIZES THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF MANIPULATIVE SIB AND TREATS THE BEHAVIOR ACCORDINGLY. FOUR REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.