CONCEIVED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PREVENTIVE DETENTION, THIS PROGRAM WAS AIMED AT NON-DANGEROUS COMMON LAW OFFENDERS WHO HAD EITHER RECEIVED TWO CRIMINAL SENTENCES OR FOUR PRISON SENTENCES OF MORE THAN SIX MONTHS EACH WITHIN A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS. AFTER UNDERGOING PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATIONS AND MEDICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS, OFFENDERS WHO FELL INTO THESE CATEGORIES WOULD BE SENTENCED TO PERIODS OF UP TO 10 YEARS OF SPECIAL SUPERVISION RUNNING CONSECUTIVELY WITH ANY SENTENCE HANDED DOWN FOR THE OFFENSE ITSELF. THIS 'CORRECTIONAL GUARDIANSHIP', IN PRINCIPLE, COULD BE SERVED IN EITHER A CLOSED CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, A HALFWAY HOUSE OR RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER, OR ON PAROLE, USUALLY IN SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF LIBERTY. ORDINARILY, HOWEVER, SPECIAL SUPERVISION WHILE ON PAROLE IS FAVORED. INSTITUTIONAL PLACEMENT AND SUPERVISION ARE BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL REHABILITATION, SOCIAL, AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE OFFENDERS. THE ACTUAL PROGRAM DIFFERS SOMEWHAT FROM ITS THEORETICAL OPERATION DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TREATMENT PERSONNEL AND CASEWORKERS AND A HIGH (71 PERCENT) ABSCONDANCE RATE FROM PARTICIPATING HALFWAY HOUSES. RECOMMENDED PROGRAM CHANGES INCLUDE SETTING FIXED PAROLE DATES FOR OFFENDERS ENTERING THE HALFWAY HOUSE PHASE OF THE PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE RATE OF ESCAPES, AN EMPHASIS ON COMMUNITY TREATMENT FOR THOSE OFFENDERS JUDGED MOST AMENABLE TO REHABILITATION, AND INCREASED USE OF INSTITUTIONAL SUPERVISION FOR THE MOST ANTISOCIAL OFFENDERS. --IN FRENCH...ELW