A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MASSACHUSETTS FURLOUGH PROGRAM DESCRIBES THE PROGRAM AND DISCUSSES ESCAPE RATES OVER THE PERIOD 1972-76. A TABLE COMPARES FURLOUGH STATISTICS BY INSTITUTION FOR THE YEARS 1973-76, ANOTHER SUMMARIZES FURLOUGH STATISTICS FOR THE 4 YEARS, AND TWO FURTHER TABLES SHOW ESCAPE RATES BY MONTH FOR 1976 AND THE NUMBER OF INMATES FURLOUGHED MONTHLY IN PROPORTION TO THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE INSTITUTIONS FROM WHICH THEY WERE FURLOUGHED. FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS SHOW THE NUMBER OF FURLOUGHS GRANTED PER TYPE OF OFFENSE, CRIMINAL HISTORY, PERSONAL BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS (AGE, PLACE WHERE OFFENSE WAS COMMITTED, AMOUNT OF SCHOOLING, AND LENGTH OF EMPLOYMENT) FOR THE YEAR 1976. TWO CROSSTABULATION TABLES COMPARE THE TYPE OF FURLOUGH WITH THE INSTITUTION FROM WHICH THE INMATE WAS FURLOUGHED AND WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE FURLOUGH. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED.