SPECIAL ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN WHICH THE PRETRIAL DIVERSION CONCEPT OPERATES, AND THE DECISION POINTS WHICH AFFECT THE DISPOSITION OF A PROGRAM PARTICIPANT. THIS STUDY TRACES THE PHENOMENON OF PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION FROM ITS HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND LEGAL JUSTIFICATION AS THE NECESSARY ANTECEDENT FOR PRETRIAL INTERVENTION. ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION-MAKING MODELS AND PROCEDURES IN DEFENDANT DISPOSITION ARE THEN IDENTIFIED FROM CURRENT PROGRAMS BASED ON SYSTEM PENETRATION. IN ADDITION, THE BENEFITS, LIABILITIES, AND PROBABLE DIRECTION OF PRETRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL PROCESSING ARE EVALUATED. IT IS SHOWN THAT PRETRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS OPERATE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FORMAL PROCESSING FOR THE PROSECUTORS AND THE COURTS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A TENDENCY FOR SPONSORS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO MOVE INTO ACTION WITHOUT AMPLE CONSIDERATION FOR ITS POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES, ESPECIALLY UNRESOLVED LEGAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE VOLUNTARY NATURE OF A DEFENDANT'S PARTICIPATION AND THE PRACTICE OF RESTITUTION IN THE DIVERSION CONTEXT. A FIVE-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.