AN INVESTIGATION TO ASSESS INCIDENCE OF, SOCIAL AND CRIMINAL HISTORY OF, AND PROGRAMS AVAILABLE FOR RETARDED OFFENDERS REVEALED INSTEAD SO FEW INSTITUTIONALIZED RETARDATES COMPARED TO PAST YEARS THAT THE WHOLE APPROACH TO THE QUESTION SEEMS IN DOUBT. INMATES, UPON ADMISSION AT BOTH IOWA STATE MEN'S REFORMATORY AND IOWA STATE PENITENTIARY, ARE ADMINISTERED THE REVISED BETA EXAMINATION TO DETERMINE THE INMATE'S INTELLECTUAL LEVEL OF FUNCTIONING. FOR SOME REASON, THE PROPORTION OF RETARDED INMATES IN IOWA HAS DROPPED FROM 13.3 PERCENT (197) IN 1965 TO 2.7 PERCENT (15) IN 1972 (IN ADDITION, THE ENTIRE PRISON POPULATION HAS DECREASED FROM 12,227 TO 950). SOME EFFECT ON THE RETARDED AND TOTAL POPULATION MAY HAVE BEEN AN INDIRECT RESULT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION'S EVALUATION OF EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS, WITH THE BUREAU OF ADULT CORRECTIONS DECIDING IT WOULD BE MORE REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL TO DISCHARGE THE MENTALLY RETARDED INMATE FROM THE INSTITUTION. THE MOST REASONABLE EXPLANATION LIES WITH CHANGING COURT ATTITUDES AND POLICIES, WITH COURTS OFFERING ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION IN THE COMMUNITY. INCREASED PAROLE AND PROBATION FOR IOWA'S RETARDED OFFENDER HAVE BEEN WITNESSED, WITH PAROLE BEING OFFERED SOON AFTER INCARCERATION. HOWEVER, MOST IMPORTANT HAVE BEEN THE COMMUNITY ALTERNATIVES. THESE IOWA PRISON POPULATION CHANGES SHOULD BE CHECKED IN BROAD REPLICATIVE STUDIES ELSEWHERE IN ORDER TO STOP THE IMPLEMENTATION OR PLANNING OF BRILLIANT, SENSITIVE RETARDED INMATE PROGRAMS THAT WILL REACH NO ONE. APPROXIMATELY 12 REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.