A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HUBER LAW IS PRESENTED. THE LAW HAS BEEN AMENDED MANY TIMES SINCE ITS PASSAGE IN 1913. CURRENTLY, ANY PERSON SENTENCED TO A COUNTY JAIL FOR A CRIME, NONPAYMENT OF A FINE OR FORFEITURE, OR CONTEMPT OF COURT, MAY BE GRANTED THE PRIVILEGE OF LEAVING THE JAIL DURING NECESSARY AND REASONABLE HOURS FOR SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, WORKING, CONDUCTING ANY SELF-EMPLOYED OCCUPATION, ATTENDING NEEDS OF THE PERSON'S FAMILY ATTENDANCE AT AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, OR MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE INMATE IS LIABLE ONLY FOR THE BOARD AND MAINTENANCE COSTS AT THE JAIL WHERE HE IS HOUSED. SAVINGS ACCUMULATED BY AN INMATE ARE PLACED IN A TRUST CHECKING ACCOUNT UNTIL HIS RELEASE, AT WHICH TIME THEY ARE GIVEN TO HIM. THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM DIFFERS FROM THE HUBER LAW IN THAT IT ONLY APPLIES TO PERSONS CONFINED IN COUNTY JAILS BETWEEN THE HOURS OR PERIODS OF EMPLOYMENT AS A CONDITION OF STATE PROBATION. WHILE HUBER PRISONERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GOOD TIME AND REMAIN UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE COUNTY SHERIFF, PERSONS CONFINED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF WORK RELEASE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR GOOD TIME AND ARE UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS. HUBER LAW UTILIZATION IS SURVEYED EVERY 4 YEARS. WORK RELEASE PROGRAM DATA WAS INCLUDED BEGINNING IN THE 1976 QUADRENNIAL SURVEY. IN 1976, 14,394 MEN AND WOMEN WERE SENTENCED TO WISCONSIN'S COUNTY JAILS, A 40 PERCENT INCREASE SINCE 1972. OF THESE, APPROXIMATELY 57 PERCENT WERE SENTENCED UNDER THE HUBER LAW, WHILE IN 1972 THE FIGURE WAS 70 PERCENT. IT IS BELIEVED THIS DROP REFLECTS THE INCREASED RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT RATHER THAN ANY CHANGE IN COUNTY COURT SENTENCING PHILOSOPHY. OF THE OVER 8,000 PERSONS SENTENCED UNDER THE HUBER LAW AND WORK RELEASE PROGRAM IN 1976, THE NUMBER EMPLOYED WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,700. THIS WAS ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE AS FOR 1972. THE NUMBER IN STUDY PROGRAMS WAS 437 IN 1976, AN INCRASE IN 50 PERCENT OVER 1972. NET EARNINGS WERE APPROXIMATELY $1.7 MILLION IN 1976, AN INCREASE OF OVER $500,000 FROM 1972. EACH PERSON HAD AVERAGE NET EARNINGS OF $373. OF THOSE SENTENCED UNDER THE HUBER LAW AND WORK RELEASE PROGRAM, ONLY 129 HAD THEIR PRIVILEGES REVOKED AND 408 WALKED AWAY FROM SUPERVISION. DATA IS APPENDED IN TABULAR FORM. (RCB)