VARIOUS TYPES OF OFFENDERS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR AND BENEFIT FROM DIVERSION PROGRAMS. THOSE WHO DISPLAY EXTREME VIOLENCE ARE EXCLUDED FROM SUCH PROGRAMS. STATUS OFFENDERS, PARTICULARLY ADDICTS, ARE THOSE FOR WHOM THE RATIONALE AND LOGIC OF DIVERSION ARE MOST COMPELLING. THEIR CRIMES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THEIR ADDICTION, AND THE ONLY FEASIBLE WAY TO REDUCE THEIR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS THROUGH SOME KIND OF DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM. MOST EXISTING DIVERSION PROGRAMS FOCUS ON SERVING THOSE OFFENDERS ACCUSED OF MISDEMEANORS AND MINOR FELONIES. THESE PROGRAMS ATTEMPT TO WORK OUT MUTUAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN PARTIES IN CONFLICT, TO ENCOURAGE ACCUSED INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE IN A RESTITUTION PROGRAM, OR TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN STRUCTURED TREATMENT PROGRAMS PROVIDING COUNSELING AND MINIMAL SUPERVISION. SOME STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT DIVERSION IS ALSO WORKABLE FOR FELONS. ONE SUCH PROGRAM PROVIDES OFFENDERS WITH GROUP THERAPY, COUNSELING, AND JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES, AMONG OTHERS. SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS HAVE SHOWN THAT THERE ARE FEW LIMITATIONS ON WHO SHOULD BE DIVERTED. A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED OF ONE PRISON SYSTEM'S ENTIRE TARGET POPULATION AND OF THOSE OFFENDERS, WITHIN IT WHO WERE ACTUALLY DIVERTED. RESPONDENTS WERE DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS: DIVERTED ARRESTEES (THOSE ACCEPTED INTO THE DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM); OTHER ARRESTED DRUG USERS (THOSE WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, BUT REFUSED); AND THE REST OF THE ARRESTED POPULATION (THOSE ARRESTED FOR OTHER THAN DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES, WHO WERE THUS INELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM). TABULAR DATA ARE PRESENTED SHOWING THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY. OF THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION, THOSE MOST LIKELY TO ACCEPT DIVERSION WERE BLACKS, MALES, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS, AND THE UNEMPLOYED. WHITES WHO FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL AND WERE EMPLOYED WERE MORE LIKELY TO TAKE THEIR CHANCES WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE FINDINGS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE PROGRAM HAD DIVERTED A POPULATION VERY MUCH IN NEED OF SERVICES, HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO ONE THAT REQUIRED THE MOST SERVICES AND WAS MORE LIKELY NOT TO SUCCEED IN TREATMENT. DIVERSION PROGRAMS SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHOM WITHIN THEIR TARGET POPULATION THEY ARE ACTUALLY SERVING. THIS INFORMATION COULD BE IMPORTANT IN PLANNING OR MODIFYING SERVICES DESIGNED FOR THE WHOLE TARGET POPULATION AND IN PROVIDING DATA THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ANY EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAMS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.