BEGINNING IN THE 19TH CENTURY, THE IDEA OF REFORMING AND EDUCATING THE OFFENDER INSTEAD OF MERELY PUNISHING HIM HAD BEGUN TO TAKE HOLD, AND IT NOW HAS GAINED QUITE GENERAL ACCEPTANCE. THERE IS A MULTIPLICITY OF PROPOSED METHODS OF RESOCIALIZING OFFENDERS, BUT NONE OF THEM HAS TURNED OUT TO BE THE ONE BEST ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM. FURTHERMORE, THEY ALL WOULD REQUIRE NUMBERS OF TREATMENT INSTITUTIONS AND THERAPISTS, AND FINANCES FOR THIS HAVE NOT BEEN ARRANGED. ANYHOW, SAYS THE AUTHOR, IT HAS BECOME CLEAR THAT TREATMENT OF THE OFFENDER BY A THERAPIST WILL NOT SUFFICE. SOCIETY AS A WHOLE MUST BECOME INVOLVED IN THE TREATMENT PROCESS, AND SOCIETY ITSELF MUST BE 'TREATED' - REFORMED - TOO. THE AUTHOR ADVOCATES 'OPENING UP' THE WEST GERMAN CORRECTIONS SYSTEM BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MINIMUM AND MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTIONS IN PROPORTION TO THOSE WITH MAXIMUM SECURITY. ONLY DANGEROUS OFFENDERS WOULD BE KEPT IN MAXIMUM SECURITY INSTITUTIONS, FOR PREVENTIVE REASONS. THE AUTHOR CLAIMS THAT WITH OPEN INSTITUTIONS THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN RESOCIALIZATION EFFORTS BECAUSE COMMUNICATION WOULD THEN BE POSSIBLE, WHEREAS NOW THE INMATES ARE ISOLATED FROM THE PUBLIC. FOR THE ORIGINAL OF THIS DOCUMENT IN GERMAN, SEE NCJ-18394.