PART OF A LARGER STUDY OF ADULT PROBATION BEING CONDUCTED BY THE PROGRAM FOR THE STUDY OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, THIS REPORT FOCUSES ON CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE 4 STUDY AREAS DEFINED, BASED ON 104 STUDIES SELECTED FOR ANALYSIS. COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED METHODOLOGICAL DIFFICULTIES OFTEN MILITATING AGAINST GENERALIZATIONS FROM REPORTED STUDY RESULTS ARE DISCUSSED AT THE OUTSET. IN CONSIDERING CLIENTS AND CASELOADS, THE PROFILE OF THE PROBATIONER IS COMPARED WITH THAT OF INMATES, AND THE 'SUCCESSFUL' PROBATIONER IS COMPARED TO THE 'FAILURE'. EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF REDUCED CASELOAD IS EXAMINED. THE METHODS FOR PREDICTION OF PROBATION OUTCOMES ARE CONSIDERED AND THE EXTENT OF THEIR USE IS APPRAISED. A GENERALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION OF RECIDIVISM DOES NOT EXIST SO NO STANDARD RATE OF RECIDIVISM CAN BE CITED. A 'RECIDIVISM' MEASURE IS PROPOSED AS PART OF A NEEDED PROBATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. PROMISING RESULTS IN TREATMENT ARE REPORTED. HOWEVER, ISSUES CONSIDERED CRITICAL IN PROBATION MANAGEMENT LACK RESEARCH DATA AND ANALYSIS. A PROBATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IS PROPOSED AS A MEANS OF FILLING THIS RESEARCH VOID. SUCH A PROGRAM WOULD CREATE A SYSTEMATIC BASIS FOR PROVIDING JUDGES, PLANNERS, AND PROBATION MANAGERS WITH INFORMATION NEEDED FOR MORE RATIONAL PROBATION DECISIONS. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS ABSTRACTS ON THE STUDIES THAT RELATE TO EACH OF THE FOUR STUDY TOPICS, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (RCB)