The results were based on detailed questionnaires exploring offender characteristics, offense type, sentence length, and criteria for awarding parole. The 480 candidates eligible for parole consisted mostly of unmarried males in their thirties, 42 percent of whom were foreigners. The average sentence length was 21 months for such offenses as property crimes, traffic offenses, and drug offenses. Of the 480 candidates, 68 percent were granted parole. The results indicated that the different states handled the parole option very differently with some states granting parole almost as a matter of course while others tried to establish fair criteria to distinguish among the candidates. A second questionnaire studied 102 cases of parolees who lost their parole in 1990. The subjects were predominantly of Swiss nationality and had initially been sentenced for property offenses, traffic violations, and drug offenses. The study concluded that numerous alternatives to parole now exist including alternative sentencing and shorter sentencing. Whether the parole option will be used in the future will depend on three factors: the establishment of a specific agency in charge of parole; a more uniform use of parole throughout the Swiss states, and improved criteria for making parole decisions.