THE PRERELEASE CENTERS ATTEMPT TO FACILITATE INMATES' REINTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY. SUCCESSFUL PRERELEASE CENTER RESIDENTS ARE THOSE WHO COMPLETE THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM AND ARE EITHER PAROLED OR DISCHARGED, OR TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER CORRECTIONAL FACILITY OF THE SAME OR LOWER SECURITY LEVEL. NONSUCCESSFUL RESIDENTS ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT COMPLETE THEIR STAY AT THE CENTER AND ARE RETURNED TO THE REFERRING INSTITUTION. A THIRD CATEGORY INCLUDES RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRANSFERRED FROM THE CENTER TO AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER SECURITY AT THEIR OWN REQUEST OR FOR MEDICAL REASONS. THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS RELEASED FROM THE CENTERS INCREASED FROM 569 IN 1975 TO 817 IN 1976. DESPITE THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM, THE OVERALL RATE OF SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION FOR THE CENTERS WENT FROM 60 PERCENT IN 1975 TO 62 PERCENT IN 1976. EIGHT OF THE ELEVEN FACILITIES THAT EXISTED IN BOTH 1975 AND 1976 REPORTED AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL TERMINATIONS DURING 1976. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PRERELEASE CENTERS IN TERMS OF LOW RECIDIVISM RATES HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED, AND THAT THE PROGRAM COMPLETION DATA PROVIDE FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS OFFERS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL INCARCERATION. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)