OAR HAS EXPANDED SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WITH 1,563 VOLUNTEERS BEING TRAINED TO ASSIST 2,967 CLIENTS. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ASSIST IN COUNSELING OFFENDERS ON A ONE-TO-ONE BASIS, PROVIDING TUTORING TO CLIENTS, AND HOLDING MEETINGS FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG THERAPY. COMMUNITY SETTINGS RANGE FROM SEMIRURAL TO URBAN WITH PROGRAM EMPHASIS VARYING FOR EACH COMMUNITY GROUP. WHILE NEW YORK CITY DEVOTES ALL STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, OVERALL PROGRAM EMPHASIS ALLOCATES 52 PERCENT OF STAFF MEMBERS TO INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, 26 PERCENT TO FORMAL PROGRAMS, AND 22 PERCENT TO CLIENT SERVICES. AS A RESPONSE TO THE PROGRAM, CLIENTS EXHIBIT A POSITIVE REACTION TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS IRRESPECTIVE OF THE RACE, SEX, OR BACKGROUND OF THE VOLUNTEER. IN AN ANALYSIS OF PAROLEES AND PROBATIONERS TO DETERMINE OAR IMPACT ON RECIDIVISM, INCIDENTS OF RECIDIVISM WERE EITHER LOWER OR MATCHED THOSE OF THE COMPARISON GROUP. IN ADDITION, SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A VOLUNTEER'S EXPOSURE TO COURT AND INSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURES HAS LED TO CHANGES RANGING FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF SERVICES TO INMATES IN JAILS TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW PROGRAMS, INCLUDING HALFWAY HOUSES AND COURT VOLUNTEERS. EXAMPLES OF SUCH INNOVATIONS AND THEIR LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE INCLUDED. ADDITIONAL FINDINGS STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH VALUABLE SERVICES AS COMMUNITY CONTACTS AND MONITORING OF JUSTICE PROCEDURES. RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE OAR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND THE SUPPORT OF EXISTING PROGRAMS INVOLVE BUILDING UPON THE GRASS ROOTS CONCERN OF THE COMMUNITY AND BRINGING TO BEAR THE COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE OF THE OAR ORGANIZATION. TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)