THE HOSTELS HOUSE OFFENDERS AGED 19 AND OLDER WHO ARE REQUIRED BY THEIR PROBATION ORDERS TO LIVE THERE. THE FIRST ADULT HOSTELS OPENED IN 1970, AND RESEARCH ON THE HOSTELS BEGAN IN 1974. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY EXAMINED THE EXTENT TO WHICH PERSONS GIVEN ACTIVE PRISON SENTENCES OF 18 MONTHS OR LESS WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCEPTABLE TO HOSTEL WARDENS IN FOUR FACILITIES. WARDENS WERE ASKED TO STATE THEIR CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO THEIR HOSTELS; THE ADMISSION CRITERIA VARIED GREATLY FROM HOSTEL TO HOSTEL. IN A SECOND STUDY, UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH PROBATION OFFICERS TO DETERMINE THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT THE HOSTELS. OF 51 OFFICERS INTERVIEWED, 38 FELT THAT PLACEMENT IN THE HOSTELS WAS APPROPRIATE FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE; 23 FELT THAT PEOPLE NEEDING A CHANGE OF HOME ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE ADMITTED; AND 26 THOUGHT THAT THE HOSTELS SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE OFFENDERS WITH SUCH PERSONAL PROBLEMS AS FEELINGS OF INSECURITY AND INADEQUACY. THE OFFICERS CONSIDERED THE PRIMARY PROBLEM WITH THE HOSTELS TO BE THEIR DISTANCE FROM RESIDENTS' HOMES AND THE RESULTING LOSS OF CONTACTS EXPERIENCED BY RESIDENTS. MOST OF THE OFFICERS HAD ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS IN PLACING CLIENTS IN A HOSTEL. MANY CITED THE COMPLICATED PROCEDURE REQUIRED FOR APPLICATION TO THE HOSTELS. RESEARCH UNDERWAY AT THE TIME OF THE REPORT WAS EXAMINING HOW THE HOSTEL PLACEMENT DECISION IS REACHED.