IN THE PAST DECADE CRIME HAS RISEN TO UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS: THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY CORRECTIONS, HAS COME UNDER GREATER PUBLIC SCRUTINY, PUBLIC CRITICISM OF CORRECTIONS HAS INCREASED, AND THE GOALS OF CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY ATTACKED. HOWEVER, A PERSISTENCE OF TRADITION IN PENOLOGY HAS RESULTED IN ITS INABILITY TO KEEP PACE WITH SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND INDUSTRIAL CHANGE. TO DEAL WITH CHANGE, FLEXIBILITY MUST BE BUILT INTO THE CORRECTIONAL ORGANIZATION, AND DIVERSITY MUST BE EMPHASIZED. MOST CORRECTIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE CENTRALIZED, BUREAUCRATIC, AND UNACCUSTOMED TO OPERATING IN AN ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY VARIETY AND INSTABILITY. THE CASEWORK MODEL UTILIZED IN PROBATION IS ALSO ANTIQUATED AND UNABLE TO MEET CHANGING DEMANDS. THE PROBATION OFFICER IS EXPECTED TO BE A GENERAL PRACTITIONER AND MUST DEAL WITH SUCH VARIED PROBLEMS AS MEDICAL CARE, EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND OTHER BASIC NECESSITIES, INTERPERSONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT, AND SOCIAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS, WHILE ALSO MEETING THE DEMANDS OF THE ORGANIZATION IN TERMS OF PAPERWORK, COURT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND TIME LIMITATIONS. ONE PROBATION OFFICER ALONE CAN NOT ADEQUATELY MEET SUCH VARIED AND BROAD DEMANDS. A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS HAVE IMPLEMENTED A TEAM MODEL OF ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATIVE ADMINISTRATION. IDEALLY SUCH AN APPROACH WOULD UTILIZE A CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER AND A STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CORRECTIONAL POLICIES DETERMINED BY THE COURTS. TOGETHER WITH STAFF MEMBERS SPECIALIZING IN THE AREAS OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING, BUDGET AND AUDITING, STATISTICS AND RESEARCH, AND ADMINISTRATION, THE CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER WOULD BE PART OF A MANAGEMENT TEAM. RESPONSIBLE TO THE CHIEF PROBATION OFFICERS WOULD BE SUPERVISORS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OPERATIONAL UNITS, ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC JUDGE OR JUDGES. EACH OPERATIONAL UNIT WOULD CONSIST OF LINE OFFICERS TRAINED AND ASSIGNED TO SUCH SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS AS PRESENTENCE INVESTIGATION AND REPORTING, GENERAL SUPERVISION, TESTING AND COUNSELING, SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES COORDINATION, ALCOHOLISM, NARCOTICS, EMPLOYMENT TRAINING AND PLACEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT LIAISON, AND PROBATION VIOLATIONS AND PROBLEMS. ONE STAFF MEMBER IN EACH UNIT, CHOSEN ON A ROTATIONAL BASIS, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CASE COORDINATION. INFORMATION EXCHANGE WOULD OCCUR LATERALLY AMONG SPECIALISTS, ON AN INTRA-UNIT/INTERUNIT AND INTRE-ORGANIZATIONAL BASIS. SPECIALIST TRAINING WOULD ALSO OCCUR LATERALLY, ON THE BASIS OF ROTATION OF LINE OFFICERS AMONG UNIT POSITIONS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.