THE FACILITIES DISCUSSED INCLUDE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HALFWAY HOUSES WHICH PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL SERVICES TO ADULT OFFENDERS AS A TRANSITIONAL STEP BETWEEN THEIR RELEASE FROM AN INSTITUTION AND THEIR RETURN TO INDEPENDENT LIVING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THE STUDY DEFINED HALFWAY HOUSES AS FACILITIES WHICH ACCEPT EX-OFFENDERS RELEASED FROM PRISON, PROVIDE THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF ROOM AND BOARD, ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE EACH INDIVIDUAL'S REINTEGRATIVE PROBLEMS, PLAN A PROGRAM TO REMEDY THESE PROBLEMS, AND PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE STAFF TO ASSIST THE RESIDENT IN RESOLVING PROBLEMS AND RETURNING TO SOCIETY AS A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN. THIS STUDY ENCOMPASSED A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE DEALING WITH ADULT RESIDENTIAL INMATE AFTERCARE, A REVIEW OF AVAILABLE EVALUATIONS OF HALFWAY HOUSE FACILITIES, AND A NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF HALFWAY HOUSES. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY, ADULT RESIDENTIAL INMATE AFTERCARE FACILITIES WERE INCLUDED IF AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THEIR POPULATIONS WERE FELONY OFFENDERS FROM STATE OR FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ON WORK-STUDY RELEASE, PRERELEASE, OR PAROLE STATUS; THE RESIDENTS WERE ALLOWED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT BEYOND THEIR WORK OR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS; AND CLIENTS WERE REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN RESIDENCE LESS THAN 1 YEAR. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED FOR 153 FACILITIES WHICH MET THE SURVEY DEFINITION OF AN ADULT RESIDENTIAL INMATE AFTERCARE FACILITY, AND 30 OF THOSE HOUSES WERE SELECTED FOR SITE VISITS TO PROVIDE MORE DETAILED DATA. THE DATA OBTAINED FROM BOTH THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT AND SITE VISIT REPORTS WERE COMPILED TO DESCRIBE THE DIMENSIONS OF HALFWAY HOUSE OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE STUDY EXAMINES CRITICAL ISSUES IN HALFWAY HOUSE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATIONS, INCLUDING NEEDS ASSESSMENT, GOAL-SETTING, FUNDING, LOCATION, PROGRAMMING, ADMINISTRATION, EVALUATION, AND ACCREDITATION. CRITICAL ISSUES AS EXPRESSED BY HALFWAY HOUSE ADMINISTRATORS ARE COMBINED WITH THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM THE SURVEYS AND SITE VISITS TO DEVELOP GENERALIZED PRESCRIPTIVE STATEMENTS REGARDING EACH OF THESE PROBLEM AREAS. THE NEED FOR EVALUATIVE RESEARCH IS DISCUSSED, ACCEPTED EVALUATIVE TECHNIQUES ARE EXAMINED, A MODEL RESEARCH DESIGN WHICH CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY A SINGLE HALFWAY HOUSE IN ORDER TO EVALUATE ITS OPERATION IS PRESENTED, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR UTILIZING EVALUATION RESULTS ARE OFFERED. THE STUDY DISCUSSES INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND PLANNED VARIATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY BY EXPERIENCED HALFWAY HOUSE ADMINISTRATORS AND EXPLORES AREAS IN WHICH FLEXIBILITY AND IMAGINATION HAVE ENHANCED THE ADMINISTRATOR'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE TYPE OF TREATMENT AND SERVICES REQUIRED BY EX-OFFENDERS IN RETURNING TO COMMUNITY LIVING. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED.