Nederheide in Doetinchem has a regime geared to rehabilitation, where inmates participate in living groups and share responsibility for decisionmaking within the group context. De Boschpoort in Breda is a traditional custodial institution. The study traced the process whereby a placement commission selects inmate candidates from short-term detention for placement in either midlength institution. It examined how cases come up for consideration, what decisionmaking procedures are followed, what factors are considered, and what the actual selection criteria are. From November 1977 through September 1978, 38 commission meetings were observed; the report is based on 486 cases in which placement deliberations took place. The actual selection appeared to be based on the following criteria: report from the transferring detention institution, placement recommendation from the transferring institution, inmates' placement preference, and drug-related offenses. Thus, candidates with cooperative detention records who evidence ability to get along with others and do not have a history of drug abuse or trafficking are likely to be placed in Nederheide, especially if they request it. Principal difficulties with the procedure are tardy referral of candidates and the varying quality of reports from transferring institutions. Appropriateness of the commission's placements should be examined by a study of subsequent inmate performance at the midlength institutions. Charts and tabular data are provided. Study documentation is appended.