IN 1964 THE LABOR DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED OFFENDERS AS A LEGITIMATE DISADVANTAGED CLIENTELE GROUP AND BEGAN A SERIES OF PILOT TRAINING COURSES, MOSTLY IN PRISON SETTINGS. IN THE 1970'S EFFORTS WERE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PRETRIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, WHICH GAVE SELECTED ARRESTED PERSONS THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR JOB PROSPECTS AND AVOID A CRIMINAL RECORD. OVER 100 COMMUNITIES NOW HAVE SUCH PROJECTS. THE FEDERAL BONDING PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR 10 YEARS; IN FISCAL YEAR 1976 IT PLACED MORE THAN 9,000 PERSONS IN JOBS THEY COULD NOT HAVE OBTAINED WITHOUT BONDING. SPECIAL TARGET PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR OLDER RELEASEES, DRUG ADDICTS, AND SPANISH-SPEAKING, FEMALE, AND JUVENILE OFFENDERS. ALTHOUGH NO LONGER FUNDED NATIONALLY, SEVERAL OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CONTINUED WITH LOCAL FUNDS. SPECIAL PROGRAMS TO HELP EX-OFFENDERS FIND JOBS WERE ALSO ORIGINALLY FUNDED NATIONALLY, BUT NOW ARE BEING CONTINUED LOCALLY. MUTUAL AGREEMENT PROGRAMMING, OFTEN CALLED CONTRACT PAROLE, IS ANOTHER JOB-TRAINING EFFORT. A NUMBER OF LOCALLY-DEVELOPED DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS USING CETA FUNDS ARE DESCRIBED. THESE PROGRAMS FOCUS ON THE UNSKILLED, JUVENILE OFFENDERS, DRUG ADDICTS, AND OTHER DISADVANTAGED GROUPS OF EX-OFFENDERS. ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CETA PROGRAMS INVOLVES THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BUSINESSMEN AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF THE AFL-CIO. SINCE 1973 THIS PROGRAM HAS PLACED ABOUT 49,000 EX-OFFENDERS IN JOBS WITH PRIVATE INDUSTRY. PLANS FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS ARE BRIEFLY REVIEWED. (GLR)