The discussion covers the emergence of a system of correctional institutions, imprisonment as a form of punishment and atonement for crime, the development of industrial prisons in America, and various ideologies associated with the treatment and processing of prisoners. The relationship of the offender to the judicial system is addressed, including misdemeanors, felonies, alternatives to incarceration, sentencing, and the appeals process. Probation, imprisonment, and early release under parole supervision are reviewed. The convicted prisoner's rights are detailed, and the problems surrounding capital punishment in relation to rapidly changing legal developments are highlighted. Problems specific to the various types of correctional clients are addressed concerning male, female, and juvenile offenders. Management theory and its application to corrections is discussed in terms of resolving corrections' conflicting goals of custody and treatment. Present correctional systems at the Federal, State, and local levels are described. Finally, the work identifies the major problems and goals of corrections in the 1980's. Reference notes, tables, recommended readings, a glossary, an index, photographs, and figures are provided.