COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS IS DEFINED AS A METHOD TO ASSESS COSTS, ON BOTH THE GOVERNMENTAL AND SOCIETAL LEVELS, THAT WILL RESULT FROM A PARTICULAR PROJECT AND THEN TO COMPARE THOSE COSTS WITH THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS THE PROGRAM. THE TIME AND EXPENSE INVOLVED IN GATHERING DATA MAKES COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS BEYOND THE MEANS OF MANY SMALLER AGENCIES. COST EFFECTIVENESS IS PRESENTED AS A MORE ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVE BASED ON THE EXPLICIT STATEMENT OF PROJECT GOALS, THE COSTS REQUIRED TO REACH THESE GOALS, AND THE BENEFITS ACHIEVED. THE FIVE MAJOR STEPS USED TO ASSESS COST EFFECTIVENESS ARE ILLUSTRATED USING A PRETRIAL RELEASE PROGRAM. QUESTIONS ASKED TO COLLECT DATA AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING DATA ARE BRIEFLY REVIEWED. A COST EFFECTIVENESS STUDY IS CONSIDERED TO BE RELATIVELY EASY TO COMPUTE, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, AND PERSUASIVE. (GLR)