PAROLE AND PROBATION OFFICERS CAN VARY WIDELY IN THE GOALS THEY PROFESS. SOME CAN BE INTERESTED IN REFORMING THEIR CLIENTS, OTHERS MAY SEEK TO PROTECT SOCIETY FROM DANGEROUS CRIMINALS, AND STILL OTHERS MAY SEEK TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN CAREERS. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THESE GOALS WILL INFLUENCE THOSE WHOM THE CASEWORKERS CONSIDER IMPORTANT WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE WHO ARE CLIENT-ORIENTED WOULD TEND TO VIEW SUCH COMMUNITY GROUPS AS REHABILITATION AGENCIES AND EMPLOYMENT AIDS AS BEING AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SYSTEM. ON THE OTHER HAND, CASEWORKERS CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING SOCIETY WOULD VIEW THE POLICE AND COURTS AS BEING MORE IMPORTANT TO THE SYSTEM. THE SAMPLE REPRESENTS 22.5 PERCENT OF ALL FLORIDA CASEWORKERS. THE STUDY USED OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS TO ELICIT DATA. THE TWO MOST FREQUENTLY CITED OBJECTIVES WERE TO ASSIST CLIENTS WITH THEIR PROBLEMS AND TO CHANGE THE CLIENTS' BEHAVIOR, BOTH IN TERMS OF IDEAL AND REAL GOALS OF THE SYSTEM. THE NEXT MOST FREQUENTLY MENTIONED OBJECTIVES WERE THE PROTECTION OF SOCIETY AND ASSISTING THE COURTS. LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS MENTIONED FINANCIAL REWARD AS EITHER A REAL OR IDEAL OBJECTIVE. THE FACT THAT REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS WAS RANKED NINTH AS A REAL GOAL, AS OPPOSED TO FIFTH AS AN IDEAL GOAL, COULD BE EXPLAINED BY THE CASEWORKERS' FEELING THAT WHILE THEY HELP OFFENDERS AND CHANGE SOME BEHAVIOR PATTERNS, TOTAL REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS DOES NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KCP)