THE AUTHORS CONTEND THAT THE PAROLE REVOCATION DECISION ACTUALLY INVOLVES TWO DECISIONS: 1) WHETHER THE PAROLEE DESERVES TO BE REVOKED (THE PRIVATE TYPING OF PAROLEES AS CANDIDATES FOR REVOCATION), AND 2) WHETHER REVOCATION PROCEEDINGS SHOULD BE INITIATED (THE OFFICIAL DEFINITION OF PAROLE REVOCATION CANDIDATES). TO DETERMINE FACTORS AFFECTING THESE TWO DECISIONS, DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM 45 PAROLE AGENTS BY MEANS OF QUESTIONNAIRES, INTERVIEWS, AND OBSERVATION. THE QUESTIONNAIRES INVOLVED A SERIES OF FOUR CASES IN THE FORM OF VIGNETTES. FOR EACH CASE, AGENTS WERE ASKED WHETHER OR NOT THEY THOUGHT THE MAN SHOULD BE REVOKED AND WHAT THEIR OFFICIAL RESPONSE WOULD BE. THE AGENTS WERE ALSO ASKED TO PROVIDE REASONS FOR THE DECISIONS THEY REACHED FOR EACH CASE. FIVE CONCERNS WERE IDENTIFIED AS BASIC TO AGENTS' PRIVATE TYPINGS OF PAROLEES AS CANDIDATES FOR REVOCATION: PROTECTING SOCIETY, LIKELIHOOD OF GAINING COOPERATION, PROTECTING THE PAROLEE, REHABILITATING THE PAROLEE, AND MAINTAINING THE PAROLE SYSTEM. THE CONCERNS AFFECTING THE OFFICIAL DECISION WERE FOUND TO BE 1) THE PERCEIVED LIKELIHOOD OF A SUCCESSFUL REVOCATION, 2) THE PERCEIVED PERSONAL COST OF REVOCATION ATTEMPT, 3) THE PERCEIVED THREAT TO THE AGENT'S STATUS AS A 'SUCCESSFUL' AGENT, AND 4) BELIEFS REGARDING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF PRISON.