THE DATA UTILIZED FOR THE STUDY WERE GATHERED FROM A RANDOM SAMPLE (N= 1,121) OF WASHINGTOM STATE RESIDENTS USING A SELF-ADMINISTERED MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE. RECEPTIVITY TO CORRECTIONAL REFORM, THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE, WAS FOUND TO BE NEGATIVELY RELATED TO AGE, BUT POSITIVELY RELATED TO EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, OCCUPATIONAL PRESTIGE, POLITICAL LIBERALISM, POLITICAL EFFICACY, A TENDENCY NOT TO PERCEIVE CRIME AS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND A TENDENCY TO ATTRIBUTE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CRIME TO SOCIETY. NO RELATIONSHIP WAS FOUND BETWEEN RECEPTIVITY TO CORRECTIONAL REFORM AND INCOME, VICTIMIZATION, OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND. WOMEN AND DEMOCRATS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE RECEPTIVE TO CORRECTIONAL REFORM THAN MEN AND REPUBLICANS, RESPECTIVELY. FURTHER, THE DATA PROVIDED ONLY MINMAL SUPPORT FOR THE POSITION THAT THE ENDORSEMENT OF CORRECTIONAL REFORM DIFFERS BETWEEN POLICY-MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC. THESE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THEIR POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF PUBLIC OPINION ON THE CURRENT MOVEMENT FOR REFORM IN CORRECTIONS. DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ARE OUTLINED.(AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...TWH