THE ORIGINAL GOAL WAS TO PLACE A MAXIMUM OF 325 PERSONS IN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT. FROM DECEMBER 1976 THROUGH DECEMBER 1977, THE PROJECT PLACED 467 PERSONS IN JOBS RANGING FROM COMPUTER OPERATOR AND MANAGEMENT POSITIONS THROUGH LABORERS. AT THE END OF JUNE 1978, 220 OF 325 CLIENTS REGISTERED IN 1978 HAD BEEN PLACED. THE PROJECT, KNOWN AS EX-OFFENDER PLACEMENT SERVICES, EMERGED AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH OBJECTIVES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, EMPLOYMENT, REFERRAL, AND COUNSELING SERVICES FOR BOTH EX-OFFENDERS AND EMPLOYERS. A SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONAL PLAN WAS FORMULATED. CLIENTS ARE NOT SENT ON INTERVIEWS UNTIL THEY ARE SCREENED AND DETERMINED TO BE 'JOB READY.' AN ATTITUDINAL EVALUATION INSTRUMENT DEVELOPED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AND INTERVIEWS ARE USED TO SCREEN CLIENTS. THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENTS HAVE BEEN THOSE WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF JOB SATISFACTION. THE SERVICE, THEREFORE, ATTEMPTS TO MATCH THE CLIENT'S MARKETABLE SKILLS AND INTERESTS WITH APPROPRIATE JOBS. CLIENT PROGRESS IS DOCUMENTED AT 1-WEEK, 1-MONTH, 3-MONTH, 6-MONTH, 9-MONTH, 12-MONTH, AND 18-MONTH INTERVALS. RETENTION RATE STUDY RESULTS INDICATED THAT SKILLED WORKERS AND THOSE ENGAGED IN OFFICE AND CLERICAL WORK HAVE HIGHER RETENTION RATES THAN LABORERS AND UNSKILLED WORKERS. IT IS HOPED THAT THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS RATE HAS HELPED REDUCE THE CYCLE OF CONFINEMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT, CRIME, AND FURTHER CONFINEMENT. (DEP)