It is the nature of centralized bureaucratic structures to bolster their power hierarchies and maintain control through regulatory constraints that limit line functionaries,' freedom of action. Staff on the other hand, seek to maximize their autonomy by evading the bureaucratic requirements as much as possible. In an organization such as the Canadian conditional release services, a 600-page procedures manual dictates agent performance and is enforced by evaluative quality control measures. Control pressures from the organizational structure thus carry over and characterize agent-client relationships as well. However, most agents have evolved their own strategies for meeting the conflicting demands of clients and administrators. Effective parole service delivery and the optimum balance of control and assistance is not merely a clinical issue between agent and client, but one which must be addressed at the organizational level. The reference list includes 17 citations.