CONTRACTS WERE GENERALLY FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. BOTH FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MODEL WERE ANALYZED. REASONABLY HIGH LEVELS OF ACCEPTANCE WERE FOUND AMONG BOTH PRISONERS AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS IN WISCONSIN AND ARIZONA; IN CALIFORNIA, HOWEVER, WHERE THE MODEL INVOLVED DIRECT RELEASE TO A COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL CENTER, ADMINISTRATIVE OBSTACLES HINDERED FULL IMPLEMENTATION. CONTRACT CANCELLATIONS WERE ALMOST ALWAYS THE RESULT OF DISCIPLINARY INFRACTIONS RATHER THAN FAILURE TO SATISFY WORK OR TRAINING REQUIREMENTS; PRISONER-INITIATED WITHDRAWALS WERE RARE. AT RELEASE, PRISONERS JUDGED THAT MAP HAD PROVIDED THEM GREATEST SERVICE THROUGH MORE CERTAINTY OF RELEASE, FACILITATING PLANNING OUTSIDE PRISON, AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EARLIER RELEASE, BUT THAT MAP HAD MADE LESS SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE IN IMPROVING STAFF INTEREST, ACCESS TO PRISON PROGRAMS, OR OPERATION OF THOSE PROGRAMS. ANALYSES YIELDED NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES FAVORING EXPERIMENTAL SUBJECTS ON TIME SERVED IN PRISON, SUCCESS IN ACQUIRING OR HOLDING EMPLOYMENT OR RECIDIVISM WITHIN 6 MONTHS AFTER RELEASE. FOR FUTURE APPLICATIONS, STRONGER MEASURES ARE ADVISED (INCLUDING ARBITRATION AND COLLECTIVE REPRESENTATION) TO LESSEN THE RISKS OF COERCIVE UTILIZATION. EXTENSIVE GRAPHIC AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED AND A READER'S GUIDE IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--GLR)