MOST OF THE STATES REPORTING ON THE NATURE OF THEIR OPEN PRISONS CONSIDERED A PRISON WITHOUT WALLS TO BE AN OPEN PRISON. MINIMUM SECURITY, WITH RELIANCE ON THE INMATE'S SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ARE CONSIDERED OTHER IMPORTANT FEATURES OF OPEN PRISONS. OPEN PRISONS GENERALLY AIM AT PROVIDING AN ATMOSPHERE AND ACTIVITIES SIMILAR TO THOSE EXPERIENCED IN THE COMMUNITY. THE WORK SUPERVISED BY THE PRISONS GENERALLY DEALS WITH AGRICULTURE AND PUBLIC WORKS, EXPERIENCE WHICH IS EASILY TRANSFERABLE TO JOBS AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY LABOR MARKET. INMATES ARE PAID WAGES FOR THEIR WORK. THIS INCOME MAY BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE AT THE PRISON, FAMILY SUPPORT, SAVINGS, AND ITEMS FOR INMATES COMFORT, DEPENDING UPON THE AMOUNT OF THE WAGE. IN ADDITION TO WORK PROGRAMS, EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED IN MOST OF THE OPEN PRISONS. REGULATIONS FOR VISITS AND COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS VARY FROM STATE TO STATE. IN THE OPEN PRISONS OF ONE STATE, INMATES FAMILIES MAY RESIDE WITH THEM, PROVIDED THAT SUCH RESIDENTS ARE PRIVATELY SUPPORTED. ALTHOUGH NO OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN MADE OF OPEN PRISONS IN MOST OF THE STATES, THE GENERAL VIEW IS THAT THE OPEN PRISON PROGRAMS HAVE PRODUCED NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE HEALTH, WORK HABITS, AND GENERAL CONDUCT OF THE INMATES. ESCAPES, OPERATION COSTS, AND RECIDIVISM OF FORMER INMATES ARE LOW ENOUGH TO INDICATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OPEN PRISON, IN SPITE OF MANY WEAKNESSES, SUCH AS THE UNSCIENTIFIC METHOD OF SELECTING INMATES AND THE PAUCITY OF FUNDS AND TRAINED PERSONNEL. REPORTS ARE PRESENTED FROM THE TWO INTERSTATE STUDY TEAMS ON OPEN PRISONS. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)