THE POPULATION GROWTH IN MARICOPA COUNTY HAS RESULTED IN AN INCREASED NUMBER OF PROBATIONERS AND PROBATION STAFF AND HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND THE PROVISION OF SERVICES. ALSO, EVER INCREASING DISTANCES BETWEEN THE DOWNTOWN OFFICE AND GROWING PROBATIONER POPULATIONS IN DEVELOPING OUTLYING AREAS ARE LIMITING CLIENT ACCESSIBILITY. A STUDY TO DEVELOP A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON DECENTRALIZATION WAS DESIGNED TO ASSESS ALTERNATIVE AREAS FOR LOCATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED SATELLITE OFFICES IN THE COUNTY, IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE KEY ISSUES INHERENT WITH DECENTRALIZATION, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE FINDINGS. AS UNDERSTOOD IN THE STUDY, DECENTRALIZATION REFERS TO AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WHERE ONE OR MORE SERVICE UNITS MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: (1) PROVISION OF A BASIC PROBATION SERVICE, (2) GEOGRAPHICAL PROXIMITY TO CLIENT POPULATION, AND (3) ADEQUATE STAFF AND FACILITIES NECESSARY TO OPERATE ON A RELATIVELY INDEPENDENT BASIS. KEY ISSUES RELATED TO DECENTRALIZATION WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH VERBAL ANALYSIS, A REVIEW AND EXAMINATION OF SECONDARY SOURCES, AND USE OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO SOLICIT INPUT FROM ALL STAFF WITHIN THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT. SEVERAL OUTSIDE AGENCIES ALSO WERE CONTACTED FOR INFORMATION ON DECENTRALIZATION. THE COUNTY WAS DIVIDED INTO SIX AREAS FOR PURPOSES OF ASSESSING ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR SATELLITE OFFICES. BASED ON THE COMMITTEE FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS WERE FORMULATED INCLUDING THAT THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY CONSIDER DECENTRALIZATION. THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED (1) ESTABLISH TWO COMMUNITY-BASED AREA OFFICES SIMULTANEOUSLY AS PILOT PROJECTS; (2) REVIEW THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY'S IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR AREA OFFICES AND EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF CO-LOCATION; (3) PERFORM ON-SITE EVALUATIONS OF DECENTRALIZED PILOT PROJECTS; AND (4) PURSUE TENTATIVE FUNDING APPROVAL FOR DECENTRALIZATION. TABULAR DATA FROM THE STUDY ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)