THE PROBATION MILIEU CONSISTS OF THREE COMPONENTS: THE CLIENT, THE PROBATION OFFICER, AND THE AGENCY. WHILE A CLIENT'S PERSONALITY, PROBLEMS, AND THE WAY HE GETS REFERRED INFLUENCE THE MANNER IN WHICH PROBATION OFFICERS WORK WITH HIM, OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCE THE TYPE OF CLIENT REFERRED TO THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT, THE INTRODUCTION OF PAROLE, AND THE INCREASED EMPHASIS ON AFTERCARE WILL TEND TO DIRECT SERIOUS CRIMINALS, CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS, AND THE LIKE TO THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. ALTHOUGH MANY INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER BRANCHES OF SOCIAL WORK ARE BECOMING INVOLVED IN PROBATION OFFICER TRAINING, OFFICER EDUCATION REMAINS PRIMARILY IN THE HANDS OF SEASONED PROBATION OFFICERS. HOWEVER, WHEN ALLOCATING PROBATION CASES, SOME COURTS HAVE BEGUN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TYPE OF CASE AND THE SKILLS OF INDIVIDUAL PROBATION OFFICERS, IN HOPES OF BETTER MATCHING THE NEEDS OF OFFENDERS TO THE ABILITIES OF SOCIAL SERVICE WORKERS. WHILE MANY SOCIAL WORKERS ARE BEGINNING TO THINK MORE IN TERMS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN PEOPLE THAN OF PEOPLE AS SEPARATE INDIVIDUALS, PROBATION OFFICERS SEEM STILL VERY COMMITTED TO AN INDIVIDUAL APPROACH TO THE INDIVIDUAL OFFENDER. THE CENTER OF ATTENTION IS THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE TOOL OF TREATMENT IS THE ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PROBATION SUPERVISOR, FAMILY GROUP WORK IS A METHOD WHICH IS MUCH TALKED ABOUT, BUT VERY LITTLE USED. PROBLEMS REMAIN WITH RESPECT TO QUESTIONS OF AGENCY VERSUS INDIVIDUAL PROBATION OFFICER APPROACHES. THE COMING CHANGES IN THE MAKE-UP OF THE CLIENTELE REQUIRE A RETHINKING OF SUCH FACTORS AS WHEN, WHERE, HOW OFTEN, HOW LONG, AND EVEN HOW (I.E., INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS) TO SEE A CLIENT. WITH THE NEW TYPES OF CLIENTS PROBATION OFFICERS WILL BE SEEING, IT IS IMPORTANT TO GIVE MORE THOUGHT TO THE PLACE THAN TO THE TIMING OF INTERVIEWS. FINALLY, BECAUSE THE SHIFTING EMPHASIS ON AFTERCARE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE INCREASED DEMANDS, BOTH IN TERMS OF CASELOADS AND METHODS OF SUPERVISION, PROBATION OFFICERS MUST LEARN MORE ABOUT PENAL INSTITUTIONS AND THOSE WHO WORK WITHIN THEM. CONTINUITY OF CARE WILL BE ESSENTIAL, SO PROBATION OFFICERS SHOULD COME TO VIEW THEMSELVES MORE AND MORE AS MEMBERS OF A TEAM. THE SHARING OF CLIENTS AND CASELOADS MAY BE NECESSARY AND EVEN OF BENEFIT TO THE CLIENTS THEMSELVES AS IT WILL INCREASE THEIR INTERACTION AND ALLOW THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS TO BE SERVICED BY OFFICERS WITH VARIED EXPERIENCE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)