ADMINISTRATORS OPERATING PROGRAMS AT THE LOCAL OR COUNTY LEVEL WERE SELECTED FROM A 1971-1972 DIRECTORY OF WORK-RELEASE PROGRAMS AND FROM A LIST OF POSSIBLE PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY THE AMERICAN JUSTICE INSTITUTE. IN ALL, 220 KNOWN OR POSSIBLE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WERE LOCATED, AND QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPLETED BY 80 ADMINISTRATORS. AN OPEN-ENDED STRATEGY WAS USED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION. THE MOST FREQUENTLY CITED WORK PROGRAM OBJECTIVE, AND APPARENTLY THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION, IS REFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF ENHANCING INMATES' CONSTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR. THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF WORK RELEASE WAS THE NEXT MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED OBJECTIVE (68 PERCENT), FOLLOWED BY ENHANCEMENT OF FAMILY STABILITY AND STRENGTHENING OF THE PROGRAM. IT APPEARS THAT TRADITIONAL OBJECTIVES OF PUNISHMENT, MOST NOTABLY RETRIBUTION AND DETERRENCE, HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN. ALTHOUGH 43 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THE ACTUAL PROGRAM GOALS WERE IDENTICAL TO THEIR IDEAL PROGRAM GOALS, 53 PERCENT ADDED AT LEAST TWO OBJECTIVES FOR AN IDEAL SYSTEM. THE MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED IDEAL OBJECTIVE WAS REFORMATION. THE ADMINISTRATORS FELT THAT THEIR PROGRAMS WERE VERY EFFECTIVE IN ACHIEVING PROGRAM OBJECTIVES. THIS STUDY IS LIMITED BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATORS THEMSELVES EVALUATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR PROGRAMS, AND ONLY 44 PERCENT OF THE ORIGINAL MAIL INQUIRY RESPONDED. FOOTNOTES, STATISTICAL TABLES, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)