THE ADDICTION AND CONVICTION STATUS OF 60 MALE PATIENTS EXAMINED AT THE CLINIC IN 1970 WAS ASSESSED AT 4-YEAR FOLLOWUP. FORTY-THREE PERCENT HAD BECOME ABSTINENT, 23 PERCENT REMAINED DEPENDENT, AND 15 PERCENT HAD DIED. NINETY-SEVEN PERCENT HAD RECEIVED A COURT CONVICTION AND 73 PERCENT WERE CONVICTED DURING THE FOLLOWUP PERIOD. A PROGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT WAS DETERMINED IN COMBINED TERMS OF CONTINUED ADDICTION AND CONTINUED DELINQUENCY. POOR OUTCOME WAS FOUND TO BE RELATED TO LACK OF EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, EARLIER FIRST CONVICTION, AND REGULAR OPIATE USE ON ARRIVAL. DURING FOLLOWUP, POOR OUTCOME WAS ASSOCIATED WITH IRREGULAR CLINIC ATTENDANCE BEYOND ONE YEAR AND DRUG CONVICTION IN COURT. GOOD OUTCOME RELATED TO AN ABSENCE OF PARENTAL LOSS AND LATER FIRST CONVICTION. FAVORABLE OUTCOME DURING FOLLOWUP WAS ASSOCIATED WITH DISCHARGE WITHIN 1 YEAR WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF HOSPITAL ADMISSION. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA INDICATES THE VALUE OF COMBINING FORENSIC INFORMATION WITH DRUG HISTORY WHEN MAKING PROGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT. TABULAR INFORMATION AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED IN THE ARTICLE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM).