BEGUN IN DECEMBER 1973 AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL AT THREE JAILS BY APRIL 1974, THE MODEL INMATE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (MIEP) FINALLY ESTABLISHED PROJECTS IN JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI; HAMPDEN AND HAMSHIRE COUNTIES IN MASSACHUSETTS; AND PRINCE GEORGES AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES IN MARYLAND. FUNDING WAS THROUGH A LEAA GRANT TO THE AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION VIA THE MISSOURI COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE; FOUR PROJECTS REQUIRED MATCHING LOCAL FUNDS. MAJOR PROBLEMS WERE LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATES OVER 10 PERCENT, AND THE FACT THAT 50 PERCENT OF MIEP PARTICIPANTS WERE UNEMPLOYED AT TIME OF ARREST AND 25 PERCENT HAD NEVER BEEN EMPLOYED. DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM, 448 INMATES GRADUATED FROM PREEMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS (INCLUDING BASIC LITERACY), 745 WERE PLACED IN JOBS PAYING ABOVE THE MINIMUM WAGE AND OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT, AND 227 VOCATIONAL/EDUCATION PLACEMENTS WERE MADE. FOLLOWUP SHOWED THAT 50 PERCENT WERE STILL WORKING ON THE ORIGINAL JOB, 64 PERCENT WERE WORKING ON SOME JOB, AND RECIDIVISM AMONG MIEP CLIENTS WAS 4 PERCENT. EACH OF THE PROGRAMS DEVELOPED ALONG DIFFERENT LINES TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS. DETAILS OF EACH OF THE FIVE PROJECTS ARE GIVEN. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT MIEP MEETS A REAL NEED AT THE COUNTY JAIL LEVEL, HAS PROVIDED STIMULUS FOR CHANGE IN THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEMS AND THE COMMUNITY, AND HAS INVOLVED 511 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES IN LOCAL JAIL SERVICES FOR THE FIRST TIME.