CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, THE RELEASED INMATE GREETS HIS FREEDOM WITH FEAR AND MAY DRIFT BACK INTO OLD, FAMILIAR PATTERNS OF DELINQUENT ACTIVITY AND TO THE COMFORT OF PAST CRIMINAL ACQUAINTANCES. THE RELEASED INMATE EXPERIENCES A FORM OF CULTURAL SHOCK BROUGHT ON BY HIS ABRUPT ROLE CHANGE. THIS PHENOMENON HAS BEEN CALLED 'DISCONTINUITY OF CONDITIONING.' THE INMATE'S CONDITIONING IN PRISON PREPARES HIM TO PLAY A SUBMISSIVE ROLE, NOT TO EXERCISE INITIATIVE. SUCCESS IN THE FREE WORLD REQUIRES A DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, INITIATIVE, AND ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITY. BECAUSE OF THE CRITICAL NATURE OF THE POSTRELEASE PERIOD, CORRECTIONAL AUTHORITIES MUST PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE PREPARATION FOR THE INMATE'S RELEASE INTO THE COMMUNITY. TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS OF INSTITUTIONAL PRERELEASE DO NOT PROVIDE FOR GRADUAL TRANSITION FROM CONFINEMENT TO FREEDOM. PRERELEASE SHOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED GRADUALLY, OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTION. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF GRADUATED RELEASE ARE A COMMUNITY SETTING, CLOSE SUPERVISION, ALLOWANCE FOR DEVIATIONS FROM THE NORM, GROWTH OF THE RELEASED INMATE'S CAPABILITIES AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND GRADUAL TRANSITION FROM TOTAL CONFINEMENT TO FULL RELEASE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIEDLKM)