SINCE THE ATTITUDES OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF THESE PROGRAMS, THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE ATTITUDES OF A CROSS SECTION OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS TOWARD THE HIRING OF OFFENDERS IN WORK RELEASE PROGRAMS. IT WAS FELT THAT PAST EXPERIENCE AS CRIME VICTIMS AND WITH THE EMPLOYMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS WOULD BE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS AFFECTING ATTITUDES. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF A GROUP ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE - GIVEN TO A GROUP OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS WHO WERE MEMBERS OF SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, THE LIONS CLUB AND THE ROTARY CLUB - REVEALED THAT A CLEAR MAJORITY OF THIS GROUP OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS WERE SYMPATHETIC, THOUGH THERE WERE SOME RESERVATIONS NOTED. WHILE EMPLOYERS OF EX-OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS OF CRIME EXPRESSED FEWER POSITIVE RESPONSES, ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THESE GROUPS WERE ALSO WILLING TO HIRE WORK RELEASEES.