THE 2407 PROGRAM PLACES IN A HALFWAY HOUSE INMATES ABOUT TO BE FREED, AND, WITH THE HELP OF OUTSIDE AGENCIES, PROVIDES THEM WITH THE NECESSARY SOCIAL AND WORK SKILLS THEY WILL NEED AFTER RELEASE. TWO GROUPS WHO TOOK PART IN THE PRERELEASE PROGRAM IN 1974 WERE STUDIED AND COMPARED TO A CONTROL GROUP. NO DETAILS ARE GIVEN ON EITHER OF THESE. THE EVALUATION SOUGHT TO ASSESS MEASURES TAKEN TO CARRY OUT THE PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM'S USEFULNESS, AND ITS COST EFFECTIVENESS. ORAL AND WRITTEN INFORMATION WAS COLLECTED FROM THE CORRECTIONAL STAFF AND FROM THE SUBJECTS THEMSELVES, AND THE DATA WERE ANALYZED AND GROUPED AROUND FIVE QUESTIONS: (1) WERE THE STEPS TAKEN DURING THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE PROGRAM SUFFICIENT; (2) WERE THE EFFORTS BENEFICIAL AND DID THEY ENABLE THE OBJECTIVES TO BE REACHED; (3) WERE THE MEASURABLE COSTS AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES TOO HIGH; (4) WERE THE OBJECTIVES ATTAINED; AND (5) DID THE 2407 PROGRAM HAVE A LOCAL IMPACT? RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE MEASURES TAKEN WERE ADEQUATE, THE PROGRAM HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT, AND IT WAS COST EFFECTIVE. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE 2407 PROGRAM IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHERS IN CONTROLLING RECIDIVISM; HOWEVER THE RESULTS ARE JUDGED SUPERIOR TO THOSE OBTAINED BY TRADITIONAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT CANDIDATES FOR THIS KIND OF PROGRAM BE DRAWN FROM THE REGULAR PRISON INMATE POPULATION, THOSE PRISONERS ABOUT TO BE RELEASED, OR OFFENDERS ASSIGNED DIRECTLY FROM THE COURTS. SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR IMPLEMENTING A 2407 PROGRAM IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. --IN FRENCH. (MRS)