THE STUDY PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO THE ACCELERATED ESCAPE RATE. IT UTILIZED TWO IMPORTANT DATES IN BLACKBURN'S HISTORY: A PROGRAM CHANGE AND UNIT REORGANIZATION AT BLACKBURN IN 1976, AND THE 1978 POLSGROVE DECISION, WHICH REQUIRED THAT THE TIME SERVED IN A COUNTY JAIL BEFORE TRANSFER TO A STATE INSTITUTION BE INCLUDED IN THE CALCULATION OF THE PAROLE ELIGIBILITY DATE. THE MOST IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS WERE IN THEIR CRIMINAL HISTORIES, AS ESCAPEES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED BOTH AS ADULTS AND AS JUVENILES, AND WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HAD PRIOR FELONY PROPERTY AND VIOLENT ARRESTS AND A PAROLE DEFERMENT OR A SERVE OUT. THOSE WHO WERE DENIED PAROLE DID NOT ESCAPE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PAROLE BOARD DECISION, BUT LEFT AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 8 WEEKS. THE ESCAPEES WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE USERS OF ALCOHOL, SPEND LONGER PERIODS OF TIME AT OTHER CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES BEFORE TRANSFER, AND RESIDE OUT OF STATE PRIOR TO INCARCERATION. SINCE POLSGROVE, ESCAPEES ARE OVER FIVE AND ONE-HALF TIMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HAD A PRIOR INCARCERATION. THE REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT RESIDENTS HAVING BOTH ADULT AND JUVENILE INCARCERATIONS SHOULD BE TRANFERRED TO BLACKBURN ONLY UNDER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, WHILE RESIDENTS HAVING EITHER PRIOR JUVENILE OR ADULT INCARCERATIONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE SCREENED CLOSELY. FINALLY, RESIDENTS RECEIVING A DEFERMENT OR SERVE OUT AT BLACKBURN SHOULD RECEIVE MORE INTENSIVE SERVICES FOR A PERIOD IN EXCESS OF 2 MONTHS OR BE CONSIDERED FOR TRANSFER TO A MORE SECURE FACILITY. TABLES, INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, AND FIVE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. ABI JLF