COMMONLY CALLED 'THE DES MOINES PROGRAM,' THIS COMPREHENSIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS PROGRAM WAS ORGANIZED INTO A SINGLE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT, THE FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF COURT SERVICES, BY RESOLUTION OF THE POLK COUNTY (IOWA) BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN JANUARY 1971. THE DEPARTMENT OF COURT SERVICES ADMINISTERS FOUR SEPARATE CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS, TWO OF WHICH WERE IN OPERATION PRIOR TO THE DEPARTMENT'S CREATION AND TWO WHICH HAVE BEEN ADDED SINCE. THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF THE DES MOINES PROGRAM PROVIDE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES TO DEFENDANTS AND CONVICTED OFFENDERS AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS - TWO AT THE PRETRIAL STAGE AND TWO AT THE POST-CONVICTION STAGE. THEY INCLUDE PRETRIAL RELEASE-ON-OWN-RECOGNIZANCE, SUPERVISED RELEASE, PROBATION SUPERVISION AND PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION, AND A COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. THIS HANDBOOK IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST OTHER COMMUNITIES IN DEVELOPING COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS LIKE THOSE FOUND IN POLK COUNTY. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD IN WHICH THE PROJECT OPERATES, THIS HANDBOOK ALSO EXPLORES THE KEY ELEMENTS IN A COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS APPROACH. IT PRESENTS EVALUATION DATA ON THE DES MOINES PROJECT, DESCRIBES THE EXPERIENCE OF SEVERAL COMMUNITIES WHICH UNDERTOOK TO REPLICATE THE DES MOINES APPROACH, AND DISCUSSES THE PROCESS BY WHICH OTHER COMMUNITIES MAY EXPLORE THE RELEVANCE OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THEIR LOCAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS FORMS AND LEGISLATION USED IN THE DES MOINES PROGRAM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)