AS OF JANUARY 1, 1980, THERE WERE 2,754 INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. THE PRERELEASE POPULATION DECREASED FROM 12 PERCENT IN JANUARY 1, 1979, TO 11 PERCENT ON JANUARY 1, 1980. HALF OF THE RESIDENTS WERE SENTENCED IN TWO OF THE SUPERIOR COURTS. MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION SPENT 51 DAYS OR MORE IN JAIL WHILE AWAITING TRIAL. OVER HALF OF THE RESIDENTS WERE SERVING A MINIMUM SENTENCE OF 7 YEARS OR MORE WHILE THE REST WERE SERVING MINIMUM SENTENCES OF LESS THAN 7 YEARS OR INDETERMINATE SENTENCES; 16 PERCENT WERE LIFERS AND 1 INDIVIDUAL WAS SERVING A DEATH SENTENCE. ABOUT 69 PERCENT WERE SERVING SENTENCES FOR OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS. THE MOST FREQUENT OFFENSE WAS ARMED ROBBERY. THE MEDIAN AGE AT INCARCERATION WAS 24 YEARS. THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION WAS MALE (96 PERCENT); 36 PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS WERE BLACK, 3 PERCENT HISPANIC, 62 PERCENT WERE WHITE, AND THERE WAS 1 NATIVE AMERICAN AND 1 ASIATIC IN THE SYSTEM. OVER HALF WERE SINGLE AND THE MAJORITY HAD NOT SERVED IN THE MILITARY. MOST CAME FROM THE GREATER BOSTON AREA, AND MOST HELD MANUAL OR SERVICE JOBS PRIOR TO THEIR INCARCERATION. THE MEDIAN EDUCATIONAL LEVEL WAS 10TH GRADE. A MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS HAD PRIOR ARRESTS FOR OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS AND FOR PROPERTY OFFENSES; 21 PERCENT HAD BEEN INCARCERATED AS JUVENILES, 74 PERCENT HAD SERVED TIME IN SOME TYPE OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. MOST INMATES CONTINUE NOT TO RECEIVE FURLOUGHS. THE BULK OF THE REPORT IS COMPOSED OF STATISTICAL TABLES ILLUSTRATING THESE FINDINGS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)