WHILE THE PENAL CODE REQUIRES ONLY THAT CANDIDATES BE WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THEIR RELEASE DATE, DEPARTMENTAL PROCEDURES PERMIT INMATES NO MORE THAN TWO FURLOUGHS OF 72 HOURS DURATION. THE FIRST OF 165 INMATES TO BE FURLOUGHED DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THE PROGRAM WAS RELEASED ON JANUARY 19, 1969. THIS PROGRAM EVALUATION IS BASED ON DATA FROM THREE SOURCES - THE FURLOUGH APPLICATION FORMS WHICH INDICATED THE INMATE'S PLANS AND RESOURCES AND STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS; THE CASEWORKER'S INTERVIEW OF THE INMATE REGARDING HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING AND REACTIONS TO HIS THREE DAYS IN THE COMMUNITY; AND A FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONNAIRE SENT TO THE INMATE'S FAMILY OR SPONSOR ASKING FOR THEIR REACTION TO HIS FURLOUGH. AN AVERAGE OF TEN INMATES PER WEEK (TWO OUT OF THREE OF THOSE RECEIVING PAROLE DATES) WERE FURLOUGHED. THE AVERAGE INMATE PARTICIPATING HAD BEEN LOCKED UP 34 MONTHS AND LEFT ON HIS FIRST FURLOUGH 48 DAYS BEFORE HIS PAROLE DATE. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF FURLOUGHEES ACCOMPLISHED THE THINGS THEY HAD PLANNED: SECURING EMPLOYMENT, ACQUIRING A DRIVER'S LICENSE, GETTING TO KNOW THE PAROLE AGENT, ESTABLISHING A RESIDENCE, AND CEMENTING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. OVER THREE-FOURTHS OF THOSE INTERVIEWED REPORTED THAT THEIR FURLOUGH TURNED OUT BETTER THAN EXPECTED, WITH ONLY SIX SAYING IT WAS LESS SATISFACTORY THAN THEY HAD ANTICIPATED. TWO-THIRDS OF THE FURLOUGHEES WERE RATED BY THEIR CASEWORKERS AS HAVING USED THE TIME POSITIVELY BUT WITH ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. FAMILY RESPONSES ON THE FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW REVEALED THAT THEY GENERALLY SAW THE INMATE AS A DIFFERENT, BETTER PERSON AND WERE WILLING TO LEND HIM SUPPORT. FROM BOTH FURLOUGHS, 93 PER CENT OF THE INMATES RETURNED SOBER, ON TIME, AND WITH NO KNOWN DIFFICULTIES IN THE COMMUNITY. TWO FURLOUGHEES FAILED TO RETURN AND WERE DESIGNATED AS ESCAPEES. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT ALL DATA INDICATE THAT THE PRERELEASE FURLOUGHS HAVE SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS IN PREPARING INMATES FOR THEIR RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY. ...ELW