THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF JAPAN'S REHABILITATION BUREAU DISCUSSES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHANGES IN SOCIETY AND CRIME THROUGH FOUR PERSPECTIVES: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, FAMILY STRUCTURE, AND THOUGHT PATTERNS. AMONG CITED CRIMINOGENIC FACTORS ARE THE INCREASING URBANIZATION AND AFFLUENCE OF JAPANESE SOCIETY, AS WELL AS A TREND TOWARD THE BREAKUP OF EXTENDED FAMILIES, INCREASING EQUALITY OF AGE AND SEX ROLES WITH ATTENDANT CONFUSION, AND EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION STEMMING FROM THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA, WITH CONSEQUENT LACK OF ADJUSTMENT TO REALITY. CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES BASED ON REHABILITATION AIM AT BUILDING A COMMUNITY WHERE EX-OFFENDERS CAN REHABILITATE THEMSELVES. TO THIS END, THE REHABILITATION BUREAU CARRIES OUT PROJECTS DESIGNED TO ENLIGHTEN THE PUBLIC, IMPROVE THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, AND INVOLVE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. A NATIONWIDE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM, 'THE MOVEMENT FOR A BRIGHTER SOCIETY,' HAS BEEN CONDUCTED EVERY JULY SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1951. IT INCLUDES PARADES, FILMS, AND PUBLIC CASE-STUDY MEETINGS. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE JAPANESE REHABILITATION SYSTEM SHOWS THE HEAVY RELIANCE ON VOLUNTARISM, AS WELL AS THE INCREASING PROFESSIONALIZATION OF SERVICES. CRIME PREVENTION ALSO HAS MOVED FROM THE HUMANISTIC PHILANTHROPY OF THE EARLY YEARS TO MORE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY ACTION AND A PLANNED STRENGTHENING OF COMMUNITY COHESION. THERE ARE UP TO 50,000 VOLUNTEER PROBATION OFFICERS, WHO ASSIST THE PROFESSIONALS IN ADDITION TO BRINGING THEIR UNIQUE BACKGROUND TO THE WORK; HOWEVER, ONLY 16 PERCENT ARE UNDER 50 YEARS OF AGE, AND FEWER YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED PERSONS ARE VOLUNTEERING. THE 105 REHABILITATION AID HOSTELS OFFER ACCOMMODATIONS TO PROBATIONERS, PAROLEES, RELEASEES, OR PERSONS GRANTED SUSPENDED SENTENCES. IN 1975, 21 PERCENT OF ALL RELEASED PRISONERS USED HOSTELS, WHERE THEY WERE PROVIDED LODGING, MEALS, MEDICAL CARE, AND ASSISTANCE IN FINDING JOBS OR EDUCATION. SINCE THERE ARE NO STATE-RUN FACILITIES OF THIS KIND, STRENGTHENING AND SUBSIDIZING VOLUNTEER-RUN HOSTELS AND USING THEM AS HALFWAY HOUSES AND PROBATION OFFICES ARE PROPOSED. SOME 8,000 YOUTHFUL VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATE IN THE BIG BROTHERS AND SISTERS ASSOCIATIONS, AND ABOUT 250,000 WOMEN ARE MEMBERS OF THE WOMEN'S ASSOCIATIONS FOR REHABILITATION AID. ABOUT 3,500 SYMPATHETIC EMPLOYERS, WHO ARE NOT ORGANIZED ON A NATIONWIDE SCALE, VOLUNTEER TO EMPLOY PROBATIONERS AND PAROLEES WITHOUT SEGREGATING THEM FROM NONCRIMINAL EMPLOYEES. NO TABLES OR REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JCP)