THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM IN WYOMING IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM AND INMATES ARE NOT CONSIDERED UNTIL THEY HAVE A JOB AND SUITABLE HOUSING (CONFINEMENT) FACILITIES ARRANGED. THE WARDEN AND THE BOARD OF CHARITIES AND REFORM ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SELECTION OF THE WORK RELEASE CANDIDATES. THE PRESENT PLAN INCLUDES A HIGHLY STRUCTURED STEP SYSTEM BASED ON INMATES' PERFORMANCE DURING WORK RELEASE. AS PERFORMANCE GETS BETTER, INMATES ARE AFFORDED MORE FREEDOMS. THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM IN WYOMING IS STILL IN ITS EARLY STAGES, AND CONSEQUENTLY, HAS UNDERGONE LITTLE EVALUATION. RECIDIVISM DATA IS LACKING. HOWEVER, AVAILABLE DATA SHOW THAT WORK RELEASE IS VALUABLE IN BREAKING DOWN THE ISOLATION OF THE INMATE IN PRISON. FUTURE RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE SELECTION PROCESS USED IN ASSIGNING OFFENDERS TO WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, RESEARCH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED ON THE RISKS THAT VARIOUS TYPES OF OFFENDERS POSE TO THE COMMUNITY. STUDIES EMPLOYING CONTROL GROUPS ARE URGED. RANDOM ASSIGNMENT TO CONDITIONS ARE RECOMMENDED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS FOR WORK RELEASE BE BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS, NOT THE INSTITUTION. A REEVALUATION OF PRESENT WORK RELEASE SELECTION PROCESSES AND PROGRAM POLICIES IS URGED. THE DERIVATIONS AND HISTORY OF WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE OUTLINED, AND VARIOUS LEGAL DECISIONS THAT INFLUENCED WORK RELEASE ARE DISCUSSED. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (MLC)