THE LITERATURE REVIEW TOUCHES ON THE ISSUES OF PAROLE, REHABILITATION, PAROLE DECISIONMAKING, AND SENTENCING. REFORM LEGISLATION IN CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, NEW JERSEY, AND WISCONSIN IS EXAMINED. THE OPINIONS OF COMMISSIONERS AND/OR DIRECTORS OF CORRECTIONS AND PAROLE IN 48 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA REGARDING PAROLE AND PAROLE REFORM ARE ANALYZED FOR POSSIBLE RELATIONSHIPS TO STATE CRIME INDEXES AND PRISON POPULATIONS. IN FOUR OF THE SIX STATES STUDIED, REFORM ACTIVITIES WERE BEING DIRECTED TOWARD RETURN TO THE DETERMINATE SENTENCE. ONLY TWO OF THE STATES REMAINED COMMITTED TO THE REHABILITATION MODEL, PRIMARILY THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF CONTRACT PAROLE. WHERE ABOLITION OF PAROLE WAS NOT AN ISSUE, REFORM EFFORTS REFLECTED A GRADUAL EROSION OF THE DISCRETIONARY POWERS OF PAROLE BOARDS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY DATA SHOW THAT THE ATTITUDES OF ADMINISTRATORS TOWARD PAROLE AND RELATED ISSUES ARE NOT INFLUENCED BY THE CRIME INDEXES OR PRISON POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS IN THEIR STATES. RESPONDENTS TEND TO REJECT THE IDEA THAT PAROLE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED AND IN SEVERAL INSTANCES ARE AT ODDS WITH REFORM PROPOSALS IN THEIR STATES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE PAROLE PROCESS PROBABLY WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST BUT WILL UNDERGO CHANGE. HOWEVER, IF LEGISLATURES AND COURTS CONTINUE TO ADDRESS EXISTING PROBLEMS THROUGH CRIMINAL CODE REVISIONS AND CHANGES IN SENTENCING WITH NO INPUT FROM THE PAROLE SECTOR, THE PROSPECTS OF PAROLE REMAINING A NATIONAL NORM IN THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS ARE DIM. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)