THE OVERALL RATE OF RECIDIVISM WAS FOUND TO BE 22.4 PERCENT IN A TWO YEAR FOLLOW-UP. PRISONERS WHO WERE DISCHARGED AND KEPT IN PRISONS LONGER THAN PAROLEES SHOWED A SUCCESS RATE BELOW THAT OF THE PAROLEES. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT THIS SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT A PROLONGED STAY IN PRISON, WHICH IS COSTLY TO TAXPAYERS, DOES NOT IMPROVE AN OFFENDER'S CHANCES FOR SUCCESS IN A COMMUNITY; IN FACT, THE LONGER STAY ACCELERATED THE RATE OF RECIDIVISM. FOR THIS REASON IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA EXTEND PAROLE SERVICE TO A LARGER NUMBER OF PRISONERS. THE TEXT IS DOCUMENTED WITH COMPARATIVE TABLES SHOWING RECIDIVISTS BY AGE, RACE, AND TYPE OF OFFENSE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP