The concept of rehabilitation of criminal offenders in prisons seems to be an unrealistic ideal based on simplistic assumptions about causes of crime and a view of crime as a symptom of illness under the medical model that calls for diagnosis and treatment. In summary, there seems little hope for rehabilitation within any prison program because of the influences of the prison environment on the offender. The prospect for rehabilitation may be better outside the prison setting if more careful planning, greater commitment to realistic rehabilitation approaches, and perhaps a greater willingness to take calculated risks on behalf of convicted offenders are part of the rehabilitation effort. The crucial question is who cares about rehabilitating criminals. Traditionally, society's primary concern has been to separate the offender from the community for the protection of ourselves and our property. In general, society does not care about convicted criminals and has been unwilling to invest funds in appropriate facilities or in modern programs.