This research attempted to identify differences, or lack of them, in time orientation of Caucasian, Black and Chicano young male first offenders at various periods of imprisonment; beginning, middle, and end. The instrument that was chosen to measure time orientation was a combination of two questionnaires--the Time Competence scale of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) and six of nine subscales of the Temporal Orientation Questionnaire (TOQ). The data indicated that: (1) inmates' ability to respond in a time competent manner increases as they progress through imprisonment; (2) involvement in the past decreases, but not to a significant degree; (3) involvement in the present changes during imprisonment, with Black and Chicano inmates accepting the present in the middle of imprisonment to a greater degree than Caucasians; and (4) involvement in the future varies significantly by racial group but not by period of imprisonment. (Author/PC)