FOR JUVENILES, A SPECIAL INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE CALLED 'SUPERVISED FREEDOM' COORDINATES PROBATION ASSISTANCE AND COURT ASSISTANCE IN CASES OF TEMPORARY PROBATION, PROBATION AFTER A GUILTY VERDICT, PROBATION FROM IMPRISONMENT AND FROM REFORMATORY PLACEMENT AND CONDITIONAL RELEASE FROM IMPRISONMENT. JUVENILE COURT JUDGES WORK IN THE SAME DEPARTMENT WITH SOCIAL WORKERS (EITHER SOCIAL ASSISTANTS FOR DIAGNOSIS OR EDUCATORS). ADEQUATE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT. PROBATION DEPARTMENTS FOR ADULTS ARE SIMILARLY ORGANIZED, WITH PROBATION ASSISTANTS AIDING JUDGES IN ADMINISTRATION TASKS, COORDINATION, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES; UNFORTUNATELY, CASE LOADS HAVE BEEN HEAVY BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF PROBATION ASSISTANTS. PROBATION LASTS FROM 3 TO 5 YEARS, AND IN TREATMENT, INDIVIDUAL CASES ARE THE FOCUS OF ATTENTION. THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT IN FRANCE IS IN CHARGE OF SUPERVISED PROBATION AS A SENTENCE, THE LARGEST GROUP, AND CONDITIONAL RELEASE. PROBATION IS GRANTED TO OFFENDERS WITH PREVIOUS IMPRISONMENT OF LESS THAN A YEAR, BUT ONLY IF THE POTENTIAL PROBATIONER AGREES. PROBATIONERS MUST SUBMIT TO SUPERVISON AND TO EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES. PROBATION CAN BE REVOKED FOR BAD BEHAVIOR OR RECIDIVISM; EXTENSIONS OR REVOCATION OF PROBATION ARE ALSO PROVIDED FOR BY LAW. CONDITIONAL RELEASE FOR OFFENDERS SERVING SENTENCES OF MORE THAN 3 YEARS HAS BECOME MORE INFREQUENT SINCE 1973 BECAUSE OF THE STRICT RULES AND DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING JOBS FOR PROBATIONERS; REVOCATION RATES FOR CONDITIONAL RELEASE ARE THEREFORE VERY LOW. PRIVATE SOCIAL ACTION ASSOCIATIONS ASSUME FUNCTIONS SUCH AS RUNNING INITIATION CENTERS AND HALF-WAY HOUSES, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING A DOCUMENT AND RESEARCH CENTER. NOTES ARE FURNISHED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)