FROM 1972 TO 1974, 40 VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN 2 PILOT PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK CITY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. ONE VOLUNTEER WAS ASSIGNED TO ONE PRISONER FOR A WEEKLY 1 HOUR VISIT IN PRISON FOR A PERIOD COVERING AN AVERAGE OF 10 TO 12 CONSECUTIVE VISITS, THE LAST OF THESE COINCIDING WITH THE SCHEDULED RELEASE OF THE PRISONER. PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM WERE INTERVIEWED TO GAUGE THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD EACH PROJECT. BOTH VOLUNTEERS AND PRISONERS EXPRESSED ALMOST UNQUALIFIED APPROVAL OF THE PROJECTS, WHILE NEGATIVE COMMENTS CENTERED ON THE PRISON BUREAUCRACY AND CONDITIONS WHICH MADE GENUINE COOPERATION AMONG PARTICIPANTS MORE DIFFICULT. IN ADDITION, PRISON OFFICIALS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH DIFFICULTIES WERE ENCOUNTERED WHEN LOWER ECHELON PERSONNEL CHALLENGED INNOVATIONS. IN AN EFFORT TO ESTABLISH GREATER COOPERATION, EJI CONDUCTED TWO MEETINGS FOR PRISON STAFF AND ALSO INVITED SEVERAL CORRECTION OFFICERS TO DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS' MEETINGS, WHICH GAVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER ANALYZE THE PROGRAM'S OBJECTIVES AND DISCUSS MATTERS OF COMMON INTEREST WITH VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF. VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, ORIENTATION, STAFF SUPERVISION, AND GUIDANCE ARE DESCRIBED, AS ARE THE FUNCTIONAL AND PROCEDURAL MEANS AND DEVICES USED TO OBSERVE, MONITOR, AND REGISTER VOLUNTEERS' PERCEPTIONS. (WJR)