THIS ARTICLE BEGINS BY PLACING THE HALFWAY HOUSE FOR ADULT OFFENDERS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LARGER HALFWAY AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS MOVEMENTS. IT THEN TRACES THE HISTORY OF THE ADULT HOUSE THROUGH A SERIES OF OVERLAPPING PHASES THAT HAVE CULMINATED IN ITS INTEGRATION INTO THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS. NEXT, THE ARTICLE REPORTS ON THE PRESENT AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF THE HALFWAY HOUSE MODEL AT STAGES OTHER THAN POSTINCARCERATION. THREE SEPARATE RATIONALES FOR THE HALFWAY HOUSE - HUMANITARIAN MOTIVES, COST-EFFECTIVENESS, AND REDUCTION OF RECIDIVISM - ARE THEN EXPLORED. THE LAST SECTION FOCUSES ON THE AVAILABLE EVALUATION RESEARCH MEASURING THE ABILITY OF HALFWAY HOUSE PROGRAMS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)