Prison overcrowding led to the establishment of 70 community corrections for over 31,000 adult felony probationers; about 6,000 parolees; and 1,900 prisoners, 69 percent of all total offenders in the State. The programs are not intended for offenders requiring segregation for public safety or punishment as a last resort. The community alternative programs consist of 3 major areas: (1) 16 probation residential centers with a total bed capacity of 375 (2) 12 service provider programs, offering services for probationers, parolees, and prisoners, and (3) probation enhancement grants. These programs serve a substantial majority of convicted felons in Michigan, achieving some degree of success at substantially lower cost than that of imprisonment. Based on several research studies, recommendations for continuation of these programs include selecting appropriate offenders, instituting a range of sanctions which avoid incarceration as the only punishment for failure, and retaining State control over State dollars and local control over local programs.