THE MARYLAND PROGRAM OFFERS ITS CLIENTS AN ARRAY OF SERVICES, INCLUDING WORK AND EDUCATIONAL RELEASE, COUNSELING, COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES, AND SOCIAL AWARENESS INSTRUCTION. CONTROL OF THE RESIDENTS' BEHAVIOR IS MAINTAINED THROUGH A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT DEVELOPED JOINTLY BY EACH OFFENDER AND A STAFF MEMBER PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT THE PRERELEASE CENTER, THROUGH PERIODIC UNANNOUNCED COUNTS AND DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING, THROUGH FREQUENT CHECKS WITH EMPLOYERS AND PERSONNEL OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES, AND THROUGH A SUPERVISED FURLOUGH/RELEASE PLAN. FROM 1972 UNTIL FEBRUARY 1978, THE CENTER OPERATED IN A RENTED MINIMUM-SECURITY FACILITY HOUSING UP TO 40 MALE AND FEMALE RESIDENTS; IN FEBRUARY 1978, THE PROGRAM MOVED TO A $2.3 MILLION (55 PERCENT COUNTY-FUNDED AND 45 PERCENT STATE-FUNDED) BUILDING DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED EXPRESSLY FOR USE AS A PRERELEASE CENTER ACCOMMODATING 92 CLIENTS. AN EVALUATION CONDUCTED BETWEEN AUGUST 1972 AND DECEMBER 1976 SHOWED THAT, OF THE 636 CLIENTS HANDLED DURING THE 4-YEAR PERIOD, THE WALK-OFF OR ABSCONDING RATE WAS ONLY 5 PERCENT (N=163). DURING A 1-YEAR FOLLOWUP PERIOD, 77.8 PERCENT OF PROJECT PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE SUCCESSFULLY RELEASED WERE NOT REARRESTED. THE MANUAL COVERS LEGISLATIVE ISSUES, STAFFING PATTERNS, AND PROCEDURAL CHANGES IN THE PROGRAM'S HISTORY; DISCUSSES SELECTION OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS; DETAILS VARIOUS TREATMENT STRATEGIES AND CONTROL FEATURES; CONSIDERS ISSUES OF INTEREST TO OTHERS WHO WISH TO DEVELOP A SIMILAR PROGRAM; AND PRESENTS RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION STUDY. DOCUMENTS USED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY PROGRAM ARE APPENDED, INCLUDING A GUIDEBOOK DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE BOTH RESIDENTS AND STAFF TO PROGRAM OPERATIONS.