AN OMBUDSMAN IS AN AGENT OF PARLIAMENT WHO RECEIVES AND MAY INVESTIGATE CITIZENS' GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE BUREAUCRACY. THE OMBUDSMAN IS EMPOWERED TO RECOMMEND, PUBLICIZE, AND REPORT TO THE PARLIAMENT. THE INSTITUTION ORIGINATED IN SWEDEN AND HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. PROPOSALS TO ADOPT THE OMBUDSMAN SYSTEM ARE ALSO UNDER CONSIDERATION IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES INCLUDING AUSTRALIA, CANADA, GREAT BRITAIN AND HOLLAND. WIDESPREAD INTEREST IN THE CONCEPT EXISTS BECAUSE THE OMBUDSMAN MEETS A GENERAL NEED IN MODERN, INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS FOR A MEANS OF RESOLVING CITIZENS' UNIQUE, INDIVIDUAL PROBLEMS WITHIN A DEPERSONALIZED ADMINISTRATION. COURTS, WHICH ARE SLOW AND COSTLY, DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE MEANS OF REDRESSING CITIZEN'S GRIEVANCES. IN THE UNITED STATES, CONGRESSMEN HAVE AN OMBUDSMANLIKE ROLE IN THEIR FUNCTION, INVESTIGATIONS AND ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE CONSTITUENTS' PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, THIS FUNCTION TERMED 'CASEWORK' BY CONGRESS, IS SO BURDENSOME THAT IT INTERFERES WITH CONGRESSMENS' MORE IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE AND POLICYMAKING FUNCTIONS. ONE CONGRESSMAN HAS SUGGESTED ESTABLISHING AN 'ADMINSTRATIVE COUNSEL,' INSPIRED BY THE OMBUDSMAN, TO TAKE OVER A PART OF THIS CASEWORK, THEREBY RELIEVING THE BURDEN ON CONGRESSMEN AND AIDING CITIZENS MORE EFFECTIVELY. CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES AND CITIES ARE CONSIDERING ESTABLISHMENT OF OMBUDSMEN. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED-MJW)