THE ADJUDICATED DELINQUENT MALES, COMMITTED TO THE ALABAMA BOYS INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL (ABIS), RANGED IN AGE FROM 12 TO 15 YEARS. INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENTS RANGED FROM 50 TO 137. A MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS HAD SIX OR MORE CHARGES RANGING FROM TRUANCY AND BEING UNCONTROLLABLE TO ARSON AND SHMICIDE. ABIS STUDENTS RESIDE IN COTTAGE UNITS. A STAFF TRAINING PROGRAM IN OPERANT PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES WAS CONDUCTED. THE TARGET BEHAVIORS SELECTED WERE COTTAGE BEHAVIOR (FOLLOWING RULES OF GROUP GAMES, COMPLETING CHORES, FOLLOWING COTTAGE RULES, ETC.) AND LINE BEHAVIOR. THE PROGRAM WAS SEQUENTIALLY INTRODUCED IN A MULTIPLE-BASELINE DESIGN IN THREE INDEPENDENT COTTAGES; A FOURTH GROUP SERVED AS A COMPARISON COTTAGE. TOKENS WERE REDEEMABLE FOR DRINKS, CANDY, TRINKETS, TOYS, GAMES, AND CIGARETTES, OR COULD BE BANKED AT INTEREST AND USED FOR MORE EXPENSIVE REINFORCERS. SUCH AS RECRETIONAL ACTIVITIES OR HOME PASSES. THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL EXTENDITURE AVERAGED $7,085 PER BOY. APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR INCREASED WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS INTRODUCED IN EACH COTTAGE. DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR 14 MONTHS, AND THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE WERE ASSESSED. HOWEVER, NO DATA ARE AVAILABLE REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE AFTER RELEASE FROM THE PROGRAM. THE GENERALIZATION OF PROGRAM EFFECTS FROM A TREATMENT TO A NONTREATMENT ENVIRONMENT REMAINS A CRITICAL QUESTION. THE PROGRAM STRUCTURE DETERIORATED DURING THE 14 MONTHS AFTER THE FORMAL RESEARCH PROGRAM WAS TERMINATED. DURING THIS TIME, THREE PRIMARY TRENDS EMERGED: THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETING INSTITUTIONAL PRIORITIES, THE INTENSIFICATION OF INTRAAND INTERORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION'S INCREASING NEGLECT OF SUPERVISION AND COORDINATION OF THE TOKEN ECONOMY. THE MOST IMPORTANT ETHICAL CONSIDERATION ARISING FROM THE ABIS PROGRAM INVOLVED A RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE INTERESTS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS. THE INSTITUTION CHOSE CERTAIN BEHAVIORS SUCH AS LINE BEHAVIOR, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM CONVENIENCE FOR THE STAFF AND NOT BECAUSE THEY MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY ADJUSTMENT. BEHAVIORAL CONSULTANTS MAY BE FACED WITH A CHOICE BETWEEN NEGOTIATED COMPROMISE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION REGARDING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES OR TERMINATION OF THE CONSULTING RELATIONSHIP. THERE ARE NO CLEAR GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH THIS ETHICAL DILEMMA. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DJM)