THE REVIEW IS CONCERNED PRIMARILY WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH POLICE HANDLE CITIZEN REQUESTS FOR SOCIAL SERVICES. THE FOCUS IS ON THE OFFICER'S DECISION TO HANDLE SUCH A REQUEST HIMSELF OR HERSELF, TO DIRECT IT ELSEWHERE IN THE DEPARTMENT, OR TO REFER THE CITIZEN TO AN OUTSIDE AGENCY. THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES ADDRESSED IN THE REVIEW ARE SET FORTH, AND POLICE REFERRAL IS DEFINED. A BRIEF HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE POLICE ROLE IN SOCIAL SERVICE PROVISION AND REFERRAL IS PROVIDED. KEY ISSUES IN POLICE SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY ARE DISCUSSED. HYPOTHESES RECURRING THROUGHOUT THE POLICE REFERRAL LITERATURE ARE POINTED OUT, AND THE DATA SUPPORTING OR CONTRADICTING EACH HYPOTHESIS ARE ASSESSED. AN EVALUATION OF THE LITERATURE ON POLICE REFERRAL FOCUSES ON THE ISSUES OF CLARITY AND CONSISTENCY OF DEFINITIONS, LACK OF THEORETICAL CONSTRUCTS AND EMPIRICAL DATA, AND INADEQUACY OF EVALUATIVE CRITERIA. IMPLICATIONS OF THE REVIEW FINDINGS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED. ABSTRACTS OF APPROXIMATELY 80 ARTICLES AND A 32-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE APPENDED.