THE RAHWAY LIFERS' GROUP JUVENILE AWARENESS PROJECT, PROBABLY THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY AND HAS SUCCEEDED IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM AMONG PARTICIPANTS, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM. TWENTY-EIGHT INMATES, ALL SERVING TERMS OF 25 YEARS OR MORE, HAVE TALKED WITH MORE THAN 3,800 DELINQUENT YOUTHS IN 14 MONTHS. DURING 3-HOUR VISITS, THE YOUTHS RECEIVE A TOUR OF THE PRISON, FOLLOWED BY A 'RAP SESSION' ON PRISON LIFE. THE INMATES USE BRUTAL LANGUAGE, EXAGGERATION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SCARE TACTICS TO PUT ACROSS THEIR MESSAGE, BUT END THE PRESENTATION BY SAYING THEY DON'T WANT THE YOUTHS TO END UP IN PRISON, AND INVITING THE YOUTHS TO CALL OR WRITE SHOULD THEY EVER NEED TO TALK. INITIALLY THE INMATES OPERATED THE PROGRAM ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THEIR OWN PRISON WAGES AND ON MONEY OBTAINED FROM THEIR FAMILIES. AS WORD OF THE PROGRAM SPREAD, THE INMATES RECEIVED DONATIONS FROM THE STATE POLICE, BUSINESSES, CHURCH GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS. IN OCTOBER 1977, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD PAY THE PROGRAM'S $500-$700 MONTHLY EXPENSES INDEFINITELY. A TYPICAL VISIT CONDUCTED FOR A GROUP OF RELATIVELY 'HARD-CORE' YOUNG OFFENDERS (THE INMATES VARY THE STYLE OF THEIR PRESENTATIONS TO SUIT THEIR AUDIENCES) IS DESCRIBED. THE NEED TO SCREEN POTENTIAL VISITORS MORE CAREFULLY SO THAT THE SESSIONS CAN BE BETTER TAILORED TO THE YOUTHS' EXPERIENCES IS NOTED. (LKM)