UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE COUNTY SHERIFF, THIS INSTITUTION WAS USED AS MUCH FOR PRETRIAL DETENTION AS FOR INCARCERATION. OVER THE COURSE OF 1971-72 A SPECTRUM OF POLICY AND PROGRAM CHANGES WAS INTRODUCED, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, LIBERALIZATION OF RULES FOR DAILY ACTIVITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY, AND THE INITIATION OR UPGRADING OF A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICE PROGRAMS. TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF THESE INNOVATIONS, DATA ON 1969-1971 RELEASEES WERE USED AS A BASELINE FOR ASSESSING THE PATTERNS OF RECIDIVISM AMONG THOSE INMATES RELEASED DURING THE NEXT YEAR, WHEN THE NEW PROGRAMS HAD BEEN PUT INTO EFFECT. MULTIVARIATE TECHNIQUES WERE EMPLOYED TO CORRECT THIS COMPARISON FOR KNOWN SHIFTS OVER THE PERIOD IN RELEASE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH PROVED TO BE RELATED TO THE INCIDENCE OF RECIDIVISM. STUDY RESULTS REVEALED THAT THE RECIDIVISM (RECONVICTION) RATE FOR THE 1972 RELEASEES WAS DEFINITELY LOWER THAN THE RATE FOR THE THREE PRECEDING YEARS. WHATEVER ITS POTENTIAL, THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM WAS NOT 'PAYING ITS WAY' IN TERMS OF RECIDIVISM REDUCTION DURING THE PERIOD STUDIED. THE EDUCATION PROGRAM, BY CONTRAST APPEARED TO BE RELATED TO THE BULK OF THE REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS ANALYSIS FOR OTHER RESEARCH AND DETAILS OF THE STUDY METHODOLOGY ARE DISCUSSED. REFERENCES ARE ALSO INCLUDED.