THE DISCUSSION BEGINS WITH A HISTORICAL EXAMINATION OF PROBATION USE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEN FOCUSES ON PROBATION USE IN WISCONSIN. ADULTS, IF CONVICTED OF MISDEMEANORS IN THE STATE, MAY BE PLACED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LOCAL VOLUNTEERS OR THE STATE BOARD OF CONTROL PROBATION DEPARTMENT, AND, IF CONVICTED OF FELONIES, MUST BE ASSIGNED TO THE STATE BOARD OF CONTROL PROBATION DEPARTMENT. THE STAFF OF THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE BOARD OF CONTROL KEEPS RECORDS OF THE PROBATIONERS' HISTORIES AND ASSIGNS OFFICERS TO PROBATIONERS. AT THE TIME OF THIS STUDY, 80 PERCENT OF THE STATE'S PROBATIONERS WERE UNDER 25 YEARS OF AGE, 93 PERCENT WERE MALE (WOMEN WERE PUT ON PROBATION LESS FREQUENTLY BUT SHOW A SLIGHTLY BETTER SUCCESS RATE), AND 53 PERCENT WERE UNSKILLED LABORERS. PROBATIONERS WERE LARGELY EITHER NATIVE AMERICANS OR CHILDREN OF FOREIGN BORN PERSONS, USUALLY SINGLE, WITH A GRAMMAR SCHOOL EDUCATION. A SMALL STUDY COMPARING COSTS OF IMPRISONING 300 INMATES TO COSTS OF RELEASING THE INMATES, ALONG WITH RELATIVE PROBATION SUCCESS RATES, SHOWS THAT PROBATION IS COST-EFFECTIVE. PROBATION FAILURES ARE USUALLY SINGLE MEN, CONVICTED OF PROPERTY CRIMES AND SENTENCED TO 2-YEAR PRISON TERMS, WHO HAVE A GRAMMAR SCHOOL EDUCATION AND NO SKILLS. RESEARCHERS EXAMINED THE WORK OF PROBATION OFFICERS AND FOUND THAT THE CHIEF OFFICERS ATTEND COURT, INTERVIEW PROBATION OFFICERS; AND GIVE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPERVISION OFFICERS: THE CLERK AND ONE PROBATION OFFICER ENGAGE IN FULL TIME BOOKKEEPING AND RECORD WORK; AND THE SUPERVISION OFFICERS INTERVIEW CLIENTS, RECORD THEIR PROGRESS, AND COLLECT THEIR WAGES. A COUNTY-BY-COUNTY ANALYSIS OF PROBATION USE AND PROBATION SUCCESS IS PRESENTED. TABULAR DATA, REFERENCES, AND THE WISCONSIN STATE PROBATION REGULATIONS ARE APPENDED. (DAG)