DAY-TO-DAY OFFENDER-BASED STATE CORRECTIONS INFORMATION SYSTEM (OBSCIS) FILE SEARCHES THAT ILLUSTRATE NONSTANDARD DATA RETRIEVAL FOR ADMINISTRATION, PLANNING, EVALUATION, AND OTHER PURPOSES ARE CITED. FOR EXAMPLE, A PHYSICAL PROFILE OF ALL INMATES WAS USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER HEALTH PROBLEMS WERE BEING DIAGNOSED AND RECORDED. A LIST OF RELEASES PROJECTED FOR A GIVEN MONTH PROVIDED A CHAPLAIN WITH INFORMATION FOR PLANNING A PRERELEASE COUNSELING PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO APPLICATIONS IN PLANNING, PREPARING BUDGETS, AND RESPONDING TO REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, FILE SEARCHES ALSO PROVIDE DATA FOR DETERMINING THE EXTENT TO WHICH DEPARTMENT POLICY IS BEING FOLLOWED AND FOR LOCATING DEPARTURES FROM POLICY. THE DEPARTMENT HAS DEVELOPED A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT PRODUCES RETURN-TO-PRISON STATISTICS ON ANY GROUP OF INMATES QUICKLY AND INEXPENSIVELY. THE PROGRAM MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO COMPARE RETURN RATES BY OFFENSE, SENTENCE LENGTH, AGE, TREATMENT PROGRAM, AND OTHER PARAMETERS. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO DEVELOPED A RECORD-LINKING SYSTEM, WHICH ASSURES THAT ALL RECORDS ON A GIVEN INMATE APPEAR TOGETHER, EVEN WHEN THE RECORDS DO NOT CONTAIN EXACTLY THE SAME SET OF UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS (NAME, RACE, SEX, BIRTHDATE, DEPARTMENT NUMBER, ETC.). DETAILS OF THE LINKING SYSTEM ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)