CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNERS ARE EXAMINING THE CITATION RELEASE STRATEGY WHICH IS INCREASINGLY FAVORED BY POLICE AGENCIES. CITATION RELEASE PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AN ACTIVITY SOLELY WITHIN THE PROVINCE OF INDIVIDUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THIS DOCUMENT, PREPARED TO COMPLEMENT A PROGRAM OF ONSITE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL JURISDICTIONS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE GRANTS FOR CITATION RELEASE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS, DISCUSSES THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CITATION RELEASE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. ALSO DETAILED ARE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITATION RELEASE AND RELEASE ON RECOGNIZANCE; KEY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH CITATION RELEASE; DETERMINING WHO QUALIFIES FOR RELEASE; PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, BENEFITS, COSTS, AND EVALUATION; PROCEDURES; MANAGING THOSE WHO FAIL TO APPEAR IN COURT; AND PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING, OPERATING, MONITORING, AND EVALUATING A CITATION RELEASE PROGRAM. AS A PROPERLY EXECUTED STRATEGY, CITATION RELEASE CAN BE A MAJOR PART OF A COMMUNITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PRETRIAL RELEASE EFFORT. PROGRAMMING SHOULD BE COUNTYWIDE. THE DECISION TO EMPLOY CITATION RELEASE AT THE TIME OF ARREST IS BASED ON THHE OFFICER'S BELIEF THAT THE PERSON WILL HONOR WRITTEN PROMISE TO APPEAR IN COURT TO ANSWER CHARGES. THE OFFICER MUST ESTABLISH THAT THE SUBJECT IS THE PERSON HE OR SHE CLAIMS TO BE, DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTENT THE SUBJECT HAS TIES TO THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY, AND ESTABLISH WHETHER THE SUBJECT HAS PREVIOUSLY EVADED PROSECUTION. THE SHOPLIFTER IS A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR CITATION RELEASE, AND MOST CITATIONS ARE ISSUED IN THIS FIELD. CITATION RELEASE PROVIDES SAVINGS TO THE COMMUNITY IN REDUCING ARREST, DETENTION, AND PROSECUTION COSTS, IN ADDITION TO OBVIOUS SOCIAL BENEFITS TO THE CITED INDIVIDUAL. FOOTNOTES, TABULAR INFORMATION, APPENDIXES OF RELATED MATERIAL, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (LWM)