NOTING THAT VOLUNTEERS WERE OUR FIRST POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE ORGANIZERS OF OUR FIRST AGENCIES, THE REVIEW DESCRIBES THE BEGINNINGS OF SELF-DEFENSE GROUPS OR VIGILANTES BEFORE AND AFTER 1856. IT REPORTS THE RESULTS OF A RESEARCH STUDY OF CONTEMPORARY CITIZEN PATROLS IN BOSTON AND NOTES SOME DRAWBACKS OF CITIZEN PATROLS. THE REVIEW ALSO DESCRIBES THE GROWTH OF POLICE RESERVE OR AUXILIARY UNITS IN THE LATE 1950'S AND 1960'S, THE SCOPE OF THESE UNITS, AND THEIR VARIED SERVICES. A BRIEF HISTORY OF COURT VOLUNTEERS, SOME BENEFITS OF COURT WATCHING PROGRAMS, AND ORGANIZED VOLUNTEER EFFORTS TO IMPROVE COURT SERVICES AND RESOURCES ARE PRESENTED IN THE SECTION ON VOLUNTEERS IN THE COURTS. A FINAL SECTION REVIEWS PROBATION, PAROLE, PRISON, AND JAIL VOLUNTEERS. EACH SECTION PROVIDES REFERENCES AND A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS OF THE 1970'S DOCUMENTED IN THE NCJRS DATA BASE. INFORMATION ON HOW TO OBTAIN THE DOCUMENTS AND AN APPENDIX WITH A LIST OF SOURCES ARE INCLUDED.