Crack is an inexpensive freebase cocaine that looks like soap shavings and has the texture of porcelain. It produces an immediate high, which users describe as the most intense high possible. However, the high usually lasts less than 10 minutes and is followed by a "crash" that is profound and quick. Contrary to media reports, crack is not always instantly addicting. Thus, probation officers who overreact rather than getting the facts when learning that a client is using crack will only hasten the chances for a client to withdraw, detach, or otherwise distrust the officer's expertise. Probation officers should also be aware that cocaine addiction differs from alcohol and other drug dependencies in several important ways, that clean urines are not a reliable predictor of recovery, and most crack addicts do not require inpatient medical detoxification. Probation officers should become familiar with 12-step recovery groups, which should be the core of the supervision plan. They should also assess the client's addiction carefully, using the American Psychiatric Association's manual DSM-III-R. Finally, they should move beyond simplistic approaches to supervision and recognize that accountability, individual assessment, and an empathic supervision style are not mutually exclusive. 18 references