THE PROJECT PROPOSES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 AND IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SURVIVAL IN A LITERATE SOCIETY. DURING 1977-1978, THE PROJECT WAS FUNDED TO PROVIDE TEACHER TRAINING AND PAPERBACK BOOKS TO 80 SCHOOLS. OF THESE, 40 WERE TRAINING INTITUTIONS SERVED BY THE PROJECT DURING 1976-1977. THE ADDITIONAL 40 WERE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, AND PRIVATE TRAINING SCHOOLS. THE PAPERBACK BOOK PROGRAM INVOLVED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BIBLIOGRAPHY, BOOK SELECTION, NONSTOP READING, AND THE USE OF BEST SELLERS. THE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM EMPHASIZED MUSIC, COMICS, AND GAMES AS MOTIVATION, THE USE OF FUNCTIONAL READING PACKETS, MOTIVATIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR NONREADERS, AND THE UTILIZATION OF COMICS AND GAMES TO REINFORCE SKILLS. THE EVALUATION EFFORT INCLUDES PRETEST AND POSTTEST CORRELATIONS AND GROUP COMPARISONS FOR ALL PUPIL AND INSTITUTIONAL VARIABLES (I.E., SEX, TRAINING SCHOOLS COMPARED TO ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, INDEPTH SCHOOLS COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL SCHOOLS, SELF-REPORTED GOOD READERS COMPARED TO SELF-REPORTED POOR READERS). SIGNIFICANT GAINS WERE MADE BY ALL STUDENTS FROM PRETESTING TO POSTTESTING. THE AVERAGE STUDENT GAINED 4 MONTHS IN MENTAL ABILITY AND 1 YEAR IN READING LEVEL OVER A 4-MONTH PERIOD. ADDITIONALLY, IMPROVEMENT WAS SEEN IN THE ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARD THE READING PROCESS WITH 13 PERCENT MORE STUDENTS CONSIDERING THEMSELVES GOOD READERS BY POSTTESTING TIME. WHILE THE SUBBROUP COMPARISONS INDICATED GAINS ACROSS THE BOARD, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS SEEN WITH THE SELF-REPORTED GOOD READER GROUP, INDICATING THAT A GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARD THE READING PROCESS IS ESSENTIAL IN IMPROVING READING SKILLS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT MOTIVATION IS THE KEY CHALLENGE BECAUSE MOST OF THE STUDENTS TESTED HAD THE ABILITY TO READ FAR ABOVE THEIR TESTED READING LEVELS. TABULAR DATA, GRAPHS, AND PHOTOS ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)