CRITICISM OF PAROLE PROGRAMS USUALLY IS FOCUSED ON INDETERMINATE SENTENCING AND DISCRETIONARY RELEASE TO PAROLE SUPERVISION, OFTEN CONSIDERED INTEGRAL COMPONENTS OF A PAROLE SYSTEM. THE PAROLE PROGRAM EXAMINED OPERATES WITH DEFINITE SENTENCING AND RELATIVELY LITTLE EMPHASIS ON DISCRETIONARY RELEASE DECISIONMAKING. UNDER NEW YORK'S MISDEMEANANT PAROLE SYSTEM, INMATES ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR PAROLE ARE SERVING DEFINITE TERMS OF 3 MONTHS TO 1 YEAR. RELEASE TO PAROLE SUPERVISION IS CONTINGENT UPON A WRITTEN APPLICATION MADE BY THE INMATE AND UPON A DISCRETIONARY DECISION MADE BY ONE PAROLE BOARD MEMBER. THE PAROLE BOARD MEMBER CANNOT ALTER THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE IMPOSED BY THE COURT, BUT MAY ONLY SUBSTITUTE 1 YEAR OF PAROLE SUPERVISION FOR A DESIGNATED REMAINING PERIOD OF SENTENCE. RECIDIVISM DATA ON 195 INMATES RELEASED UNDER THE PAROLE SUPERVISION PROGRAM FROM JAILS IN NEW YORK CITY, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, AND DUTCHESS COUNTY ARE COMPARED WITH DATA ON A CONTROL GROUP OF RELEASED INMATES. THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT PAROLE SUPERVISION APPEARS TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THE REDUCTION OF RECIDIVISM. THIS EFFECT PROBABLY IS DUE TO THE DETERRENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECTS OF PAROLE SUPERVISION RATHER THAN TO ANY REHABILITATIVE ASPECT. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OR REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.