Vermont's prerelease furlough program involved about 2 percent of the sentenced population during the early and mid-1980's and increased to about 10 percent of the sentenced population in 1990. The program has become an important means of relieving overcrowding in Vermont correctional facilities. The analysis focused on 36 offenders furloughed from the Chittenden facility a total of 40 times between January 1986 and April 1988 and on 69 offenders furloughed 105 times between March 1988 and November 1991. The first group received minimal supervision; the second group received intensive supervision. Results cast some doubt on the usefulness of intensive supervision on prerelease furlough. Although offender control is improved, intensive supervision does not appear to affect public safety. Although it costs about $8,000 per year to supervise intensively each offender on furlough, corrections officials may want to maintain a public surveillance in the interest of good public relations. However, the probable increase of the offender population beyond prison capacity may force supervision practices to be come less intensive yet more appropriate for monitoring offenders on the street. Figures and footnotes