The program evaluates an inmates performance during his period of incarceration; the evaluation takes place before the initial Parole Board hearing. Seventy-nine percent of the 7,589 inmates who received a certificate of earned eligibility were granted parole, compared with 39 percent of the 2,446 inmates denied certificates and 53 percent of the 1,269 inmates who were granted noncertifiable status due to the lack of time in programs or other reasons. The impact of the Earned Eligibility Program was assessed by comparing the previous release rate at initial hearings to the release rate under the program. Results indicated that an additional 1,996 releases occurred above the projected level of 50 percent or 5,652 releases. In addition, a followup study revealed that the return rate of released individuals with certificates of earned eligibility is significantly lower than the return rate of a pre-program comparison group. Thus, the program is generating a substantial number of additional releases without significantly increasing the risk to the community. Tables