THE SENTENCE WAS INSTITUTED FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS WHOSE MISCONDUCT DID NOT CALL FOR LENGTHY IMPRISONMENT. PERIODIC DETENTION WORK CENTERS WERE ESTABLISHED WITH PROGRAMS OF WORK, EDUCATION, AND COUNSELING. THE WARDEN OF EACH CENTER DETERMINED HOURS OF CUSTODY WITHIN THE MAXIMUM SET UP BY THE SENTENCING COURTS. ATTENDANCE USUALLY INVOLVED 40 HOURS ON WEEKENDS AND UP TO FOUR HOURS ON A WEDNESDAY EVENING. DISCIPLINE, GOOD MANNERS, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING, AND HARD WORK AT THE CENTER OR ON COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS WERE EMPHASIZED. ELEVEN RESIDENTIAL CENTERS ARE NOW IN OPERATION BUT FURTHER EXPANSION IS UNLIKELY, SINCE NONRESIDENTIAL CENTERS, REQUIRING 9 HOURS ATTENDANCE AT A COMMUNITY WORK CENTER, HAVE DEVELOPED AT A FASTER RATE. A RECENT STUDY SHOWED THAT ONLY 229 OUT OF 2,979 OFFENDERS SENTENCED TO NONRESIDENTIAL PERIODIC DETENTION FAILED TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCE, WHILE 153 OUT OF 720 OFFENDERS IN RESIDENTIAL PERIODIC DETENTION FAILED TO FINISH. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES THAT NONRESIDENTIAL PERIODIC DETENTION SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO IMPRISONMENT. ALTHOUGH IT IS A PUNITIVE SENTENCE, IT AVOIDS MANY OF THE DEFICIENCIES INHERENT IN A FULL-TIME CUSTODIAL SENTENCE, IS LESS EXPENSIVE, AND IS MORE HUMANE. TABULAR DATA, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (MJW)