The authors evaluated a Client Specific Planning Program which was intended to develop a more effective and efficient sentence for defendants believed to be prison bound. A case developer conducts a thorough background investigation and explores a variety of community-based sanctions and programs tailored to a specific defendant. The findings indicate considerable disagreement over the perceived effectiveness of the program. Assessing the program on the basis of responses of key stakeholders leads to the conclusion that it depends on whom you ask. The authors believe that this is not an isolated finding, but is likely to be inherent in any program with the potential for system change in an environment characterized by multiple and conflicting goals, micro- and macro-level conflicts, and multiple stakeholders. Further, the implications of these findings are important not only for program evaluation but also for program implementation, system change, and theory. The authors find that there was the least difference of opinion among the criminal justice professionals on questions that asked whether the reform should be developed for less serious offenders. They conclude that any alternative sentencing efforts, such as the one they evaluated, are likely to obtain support by focusing on less serious offenders, thus leading to net-widening. Tables, references