HENNEPIN COUNTY DECIDED IN EARLY 1977 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE'S COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ACT, WHICH AUTHORIZES A SUBSIDY FOR A PARTICIPATING COUNTY'S ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR CERTAIN STATE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, INCLUDING PAROLE, PROBATION, AND RELATED STATE SERVICES (OTHER THAN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS). ALTHOUGH A PARTICIPATING COUNTY MUST ASSUME THE STATE PAROLE/PROBATION FUNCTION, THE COUNTY HAS FREEDOM TO CHOOSE HOW THAT SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED. THE PLANNING PROBLEM POSED WAS TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE METHOD BY WHICH THE FUNCTION WOULD BE ASSUMED, WITHIN CONSTRAINTS OF CURRENT COSTS, FUTURE BUDGETARY ENCUMBRANCES, AND MAINTENANCE LEVEL OF QUALITY OF SERVICE. THE OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PLANNING THE COUNTY'S ENTRANCE INTO THE PROGRAM RESTED WITH THE COUNTY'S OFFICE OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. IN ORDER TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNTY BOARD ACTION, COUNTY OFFICIALS INITIALLY DECIDED NOT TO BASE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BUDGETARY ISSUES ALONE BUT TO INCLUDE PROGRAM SERVICE ISSUES. A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF STATE FIELD SERVICES WAS CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO AVOID PROCEEDING ON ASSUMPTIONS. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES FOR THE STUDY ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) DEVELOP A DEFINITIVE DESCRIPTION OF STATE PAROLE SERVICES FOR JUVENILES AND ADULTS IN THE COUNTY AND QUANTIFY THE PAROLE ACTIVITIES/TASKS BY NEED, VOLUME, AND COST; (2) OUTLINE THE ESSENTIAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND POLICY EXPECTATIONS PLACED ON STATE FIELD SERVICE STAFF BY STATUTE, PAROLE BOARD, AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS; (3) DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COLLECTED DATA FOR SUBMISSION TO THE CORRECTIONS ADVISORY BOARD AND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS; AND (4) DEVELOP AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL FOR DELIVERING PAROLE SERVICES AT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED COSTS. OF THE THREE OPTIONS FOR PARTICIPATION DEVELOPED, THE ONE SELECTED FOR IMPLEMENTATION THE FIRST YEAR INVOLVES A CONTRACT WITH THE STATE FOR A TOTAL OF 49 POSITIONS TO PERFORM REQUIRED FIELD SERVICES UNDER MANAGEMENT BY THE STATE. EVENTUALLY, THE COUNTY PLANS TO CONTRACT WITH THE STATE FOR 30 STAFF POSITIONS AND TO INCORPORATE 15 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AS COUNTY EMPLOYEES. (RCB)