THE INITIAL STEP IN THIS STUDY INVOLVED THE DEVELOPMENT OF MASTER ROSTERS OF INMATES RELEASED IN 1972, AND OF THOSE ADMITTED IN 1972, 1973, 1974, AND 1975. THIS INFORMATION WAS USED TO IDENTIFY THOSE 1972 RELEASEES WHO ALSO APPEARED IN THE 1972-75 ADMISSION ROSTER. OF THE 2080 INMATES IDENTIFIED AS 1972 RELEASEES, 394, OR 18.9 PERCENT HAD RECIDIVATED WITHIN THREE YEARS. FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF THE RECIDIVISTS WERE WHITE AND 53 PERCENT BLACK. THE AVERAGE TIME GAP BETWEEN RELEASE AND READMISSION WAS 18.2 MONTHS. (THIS STUDY MARKS THE PRELIMINARY EFFORT TOWARDS ESTABLISHING ONE INDICATOR OF RECIDIVISM INSTEAD OF THE THREE THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAS USED - ONE FOR THE ENTIRE POPULATION, ONE FOR INMATES INVOLVED IN PRE-RELEASE, WORK RELEASE, AND STUDY RELEASE PROGRAMS, AND ONE FOR INMATES SENTENCED UNDER THE YOUTHFUL OFFENDER ACT.)