THE PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS TO DETERMINE IN WHAT WAYS THE WEST GLAMORGAN PROBATION AND AFTERCARE SERVICE MIGHT ASSIST INMATE FAMILIES. PREVIOUS RELATED RESEARCH WAS REVIEWED, AND SERVICES WHICH INMATES' FAMILIES WERE RECEIVING WERE EXAMINED. THIRTY INMATES' WIVES (INCLUDING PERMANENT COHABITEES) WERE INTERVIEWED WITH A PREPARED QUESTIONNAIRE. PROBLEMS AND NEEDS EXPRESSED CONCERNED HOUSING, VISITING THE HUSBAND, RELATIONSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORS, IMMEDIATE REACTIONS TO THE CRISIS OF IMPRISONMENT, LONELINESS, DEALING WITH OFFICIAL BUREAUCRACIES, MONEY, CHILDREN, HEALTH, INABILITY TO COPE, AND EMOTIONAL CONFLICTS. MANY WIVES WERE ANXIOUS ABOUT READJUSTMENT UPON THEIR HUSBANDS' RELEASES. CHILDREN FREQUENTLY EXPERIENCED SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS. THE MAJORITY OF WIVES CONSIDERED THE ASSISTANCE THEY HAD RECEIVED FROM SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO BE INADEQUATE. FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT WAYS TO HANDLE PROBLEMS WERE MAJOR DIFFICULTIES. STUDY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT MANY OF THE PROBLEMS OF INMATES' FAMILIES COULD BE HANDLED THROUGH PROGRAMS OF CRISIS INTERVENTION, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, AND PRACTICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE WIVES AND CHILDREN. SOME PROGRAM POSSIBILITIES IN THESE AREAS ARE DESCRIBED AND ASSESSED. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN MATERIALS AND THE INSTRUMENT USED IN THE STUDY. REFERENCES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE ALSO PROVIDED. PHASE 2 (NCJ 25320) DESCRIBES A PILOT PROJECT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR ASSISTING INMATES' FAMILIES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED---RCB)