ONE PART OF THE RESEARCH FOCUSED ON THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF CHAPTER 889 THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS TO DETERMINE THE LEGISLATURE'S REAL INTENT IN PASSING IT. AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF THE LAW WAS UNDERTAKEN IN FOUR BOSTON-AREA LOWER COURTS WHERE TREATMENT OF DRUG OFFENDERS BEFORE AND AFTER PASSAGE OF THE LAW WAS ASCERTAINED. ORGANIZATION THEORY, UTILITY THEORY, AND MODELS OF COURT OPERATION WERE APPLIED TO THE FINDINGS ON COURT COMPLIANCE AND ADDICT USE OF THE LAW. THE STATUTE'S INTENT AND PASSAGE WERE ANALYZED IN TERMS OF THE SYMBOLIC FUNCTIONS OF THE LAW. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDED THAT THE PROVISIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION WERE A NATURAL OUTCOME OF WHAT SHE FEELS WERE THE PURELY SYMBOLIC PURPOSES OF ITS PASSAGE.