Programs were selected through referrals by knowledgeable experts in the field, court administrators, and program directors. Site visits were conducted between October and December 1984. The study focused on program emphases and philosophies, legal authorization, costs and funding sources, staffing patterns, recruitment of user agencies, matching offenders and agencies, monitoring procedures, recordkeeping and statistical reports, measurement of effectiveness, and the solicitation and maintenance of community support. Since most of the programs were less than a decade old and resources were limited, evaluation methodology was unsophisticated. Most programs used the percentage of completed service assignments as the primary if not only measure of effectiveness. Programs instituted to reduce prison overcrowding generally did so. Benefits have been achieved for the offender, the community, and the criminal justice system, and the programs have been endorsed by diverse constituencies. The site studies are compared in detail, and a chart shows the comparative characteristics of all 31 programs. Appendixes contain sample intake forms, agreements, time sheets, agency referral forms, correspondence, and program reports; insurance information; brochures, newsletters, and newspaper articles; and agency responses. A 33-item bibliography. For the two other volumes on community service programs for drunk drivers, see NCJ 104570 and 104752.