THE MAJOR PURPOSES OF THE STUDY WERE TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA ON THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, AND PREVIOUS ALCOHOL AND DRUG USAGE OF THE CONTROL AND FURLOUGH GROUPS; TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE EDUCATIONAL AND PROGRAM COST DATA FOR THE FURLOUGH GROUP; AND TO DETERMINE WHETHER SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN THE GROUPS AS MEASURED BY A RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT SCALE. DATA WERE EVALUATED FOR 237 INDIVIDUALS RELEASED ON EDUCATIONAL FURLOUGH IN OHIO BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1972, AND DECEMBER 31, 1974. THE CONTROL GROUP CONSISTED OF 401 RANDOMLY SELECTED PAROLEES RELEASED FROM OHIO INSTITUTIONS IN 1973 AND STUDIED LONGITUDINALLY FOR 1 YEAR. ANALYSIS OF COVARIANCE WAS THE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUE USED TO EQUATE THE NONEQUIVALENT COMPARISON AND EDUCATIONAL FURLOUGH GROUPS. THE RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT SCALE WAS A PRODUCT OF THE SUMS OF THE RECIDIVISM INDEX AND THE ADJUSTMENT CRITERION INDEX. DATA ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT EDUCATIONAL FURLOUGHEES DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT SCORES THAN MEMBERS OF THE COMPARISON GROUP. THE EDUCATIONAL FURLOUGH PROGRAM THUS ACCOMPLISHED ITS PRIMARY GOAL OF ASSISTING MANY INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. FURLOUGHEES WITH ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY ON RELATIVE ADJUSTMENT SCORES. THE MEAN ESTIMATED COST OF EDUCATONAL FURLOUGH WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE ESTIMATED COST OF INSTITUTIONAL INCARCERATION. THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD PROVIDE FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO EXPAND THE EDUCATIONAL FURLOUGH PROGRAM. TABLES AND 43 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED, AND FURLOUGH PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND DATA COLLECTION SHEETS, A BIBLIOGRAPHY WITH OVER 40 CITATIONS, AND RELATED MATERIAL ARE APPENDED.