DATA WERE PREPARED BY THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES' DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS. INSTITUTIONS CONSIDERED INCLUDE THE WISCONSIN STATE PRISON AND STATE REFORMATORY, AND THE KETTLE MORAINE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, AND THE WISCONSIN CORRECTIONAL CAMP SYSTEM. THE 1,194 ADULT MALE FIRST RELEASES IN 1977 WERE THE HIGHEST NUMBER DURING THE PERIOD 1973 THROUGH 1977, REPRESENTING A NET INCREASE OF 48 PERCENT OVER THE 805 MALE FIRST RELEASES IN 1973. THE MEDIAN LENGTH OF STAY VARIED ONLY SLIGHTLY DURING THE PERIOD, RANGING FROM 19 MONTHS IN 1973 TO 17.8 MONTHS IN 1975. THE PROPORTION OF MALE FIRST RELEASES WITH REGULAR FELONY CONVICTIONS SHOWED A CONTINUING RISE FROM 96.2 PERCENT IN 1973 TO 98.7 PERCENT IN 1977. THE NUMBER OF ADULT FEMALE FIRST RELEASES DROPPED FROM 73 IN 1973 TO 55 IN 1974 BUT INCREASED IN EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, TOTALING 80 IN 1977. MEDIAN LENGTHS OF STAY FOR FEMALES INCREASED GRADUALLY DURING THE 5-YEAR PERIOD, FROM 9.8 MONTHS IN 1973 TO 14.7 MONTHS IN 1977. THE PERCENTAGE OF MALE RERELEASES DECLINED EACH YEAR UNTIL REACHING 17.4 PERCENT IN 1977. MEDIAN LENGTHS OF STAY OF FIRST-RELEASE MALES RANGED FROM 0.1 MONTHS SHORTER TO OVER 5 MONTHS LONGER THAN FOR THE RERELEASED MALES. THE PROPORTION OF RERELEASED FEMALES AMONG TOTAL FEMALES RELEASED RANGED FROM A HIGH OF 12 PERCENT IN 1973 TO A LOW OF LESS THAN 5 PERCENT IN 1977. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FEMALES RELEASED ANNUALLY DROPPED FROM 84 IN 1973 TO 61 IN 1974 BEFORE RISING TO 84 IN 1977. THE MEDIAN LENGTH OF STAY OF FEMALE FIRST RELEASES AND RERELEASES WAS SHORTER THAN THE LENGTH OF STAY OF THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. THE DIFFERENCE RANGED FROM 2.6 TO 11.9 MONTHS. TABULAR DATA PROVIDE THE BULK OF THE REPORT. (LWM)