In the Council of Europe, prison services' key responsibilities are keeping inmates in custody, safely and humanely, but with an additional duty to help them lead law abiding lives, both while in prison and after release. The article discusses various countries' pre-release programs and uses some aspects as a basis for suggestions regarding selection of inmates for release and for special programs. The article notes that some inmates need a great deal of help during their stay in custody, while for others the pre-release work is more important. Pre-release work should focus on helping the unconvicted and those awaiting trial. If possible, the inmate population should live within easy traveling distance of their home community. This facilitates retaining community contacts and is extremely valuable to effective pre-release planning. The prison sentence and its management should be seamless with its release arrangements; they are inextricably woven. If possible, the prison should concentrate on pre-release programs for specially vulnerable groups, i.e., women, young prisoners, sex offenders, serious drug offenders, and the mentally disordered.