FOLLOWING AN OVERVIEW OF HISTORICAL DISSATISFACTION WITH TRADITIONAL PRISONS, THE MOST RECENT REFORM MOVEMENT--COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS--IS EXAMINED. REASONS FOR ITS SUPPORT AMONG PROFESSIONALS ARE SUMMARIZED. HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME THAT CERTAIN PROFESSIONALS IN THE CORRECTIONS FIELD ARE CALLING FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, THE COMMUNITIES THEMSELVES ARE REJECTING SUCH CORRECTIONAL ALTERNATIVES. SEVERAL REASONS FOR THIS ARE EXAMINED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC LACKS ADEQUATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM AND ITS CLIENTS, AND THAT CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES DO NOT HAVE AN ACCURATE PERCEPTION OF THE WAY THE PUBLIC VIEWS CORRECTIONS, CORRECTIONAL CLIENTS, AND CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES. ALSO CORRECTIONS EXPERTS FAIL TO INVOLVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW PROGRAM, CREATING SUSPICIONS AND HOSTILITIES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO POPULAR MYTH AND OVERDRAMATIZATIONS OF THE MEDIA. A FEW STUDIES TO MEASURE PUBLIC ATTITUDES ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT CORRECTIONS OFFICIALS MUST INVOLVE THE PUBLIC IN THE PLANNING OF A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM TO WIN PUBLIC SUPPORT. ALSO, OFFICIALS MUST MAKE SURE ADEQUATE TRAINED PERSONNEL ARE AVAILABLE TO RUN THE PROGRAM TO GUARANTEE PUBLIC SAFETY. A GLOSSARY OF COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS PROGRAMS IS INCLUDED. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. (GLR)