THE STATISTICAL CHARTS AND GRAPHS COVER THE 1976 CALENDAR YEAR WHILE THE NARRATIVE REPORTS COVER EVENTS THROUGH MID-1977. IN 1976 A TOTAL OF 6,600 MEN AND WOMEN WERE COMMITTED TO MICHIGAN PRISONS, PUSHING THE TOTAL PRISON POPULATION TO A RECORD-BREAKING 12,462 BY THE END OF THE YEAR. CONCURRENTLY, COMMUNITY OPPOSITION THWARTED EFFORTS TO EXPAND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND ESTABLISH MORE COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES. THIS MEANT THAT RECREATIONAL AREAS HAD TO BE USED FOR WARDS, STUDY ROOMS WERE TURNED INTO LIVING QUARTERS, AND HOUSE TRAILERS WERE ADDED AT THE MARQUETTE FACILITY. THIS CROWDING ALSO MEANT LONG WAITING LISTS FOR ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL CLASSES, INCREASED IDLENESS, AND PRESSURE OF BOTH STAFF AND INMATES. TO COPE WITH OVERCROWDING, RESEARCH ON POTENTIAL FOR PROBATION AND PAROLE SUCCESS WAS INTENSIFIED. A MAJOR REORGANIZATON DECENTRALIZED THESE PROBATION AND PAROLE SERVICES AND INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PUT INTO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. ALSO IN 1977, THE PRISON SYSTEM WAS DIVIDED INTO FOUR REGIONS WITH DEPUTY ADMINISTRATORS TO HELP GIVE EACH FACILITY MORE SUPERVISORY ATTENTION. LEGISLATION PROPOSED FOR THE PRISON SYSTEM HAS INCLUDED A NUMBER OF MANDATORY SENTENCING BILLS AND A FEW PROPOSALS FOR EARLY RELEASE WHEN PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD NOT BE ENDANGERED. THE REST OF THE REPORT CONSISTS OF TABLES GIVING COURT DISPOSITIONS FOR 1976, COMMITMENTS, RATES OF COMMITMENT, DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON INMATES, AN OPERATIONS SUMMARY OF THE BUREAU OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, A LIST OF CRITICAL INCIDENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE IN 1976, PER CAPITA COSTS, TREATMENT SERVICES, A PAROLE AND PROBATION FOLLOW-UP STUDY, AND A RACIAL BREAKDOWN OF EMPLOYEES. EACH FACILITY IS DESCRIBED WITH DATA GIVEN ON CAPACITY, PURPOSE, AND CURRENT POPULATION. (GLR)