UNLIKE MOST QUESTIONNAIRES COMMONLY USED WITH INMATES, THE PUBLIC OFFENDER COUNSELING INVENTORY WAS DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR USE WITH PRISONERS. IN ADDITION, RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY STUDIES WERE PERFORMED WITH INMATES AS SUBJECTS. THE INSTRUMENT CONTAINS 40 ITEMS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE TYPES OF ATTITUDES INMATES MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO HAVE TOWARD THEMSELVES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND AUTHORITY AND COUNSELORS. FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE RESPONSES OF A SAMPLE OF MALE AND FEMALE INMATES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE INDICATES THREE MAJOR FACTORS: CONFIDENCE IN INTERPERSONAL INVOLVEMENT; COUNSELING READINESS; AND SELF RELIANCE. THE REPORT ALSO DOCUMENTS A TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY STUDY OF THE INSTRUMENT AND NOTES THE SUCCESSFUL USE OF THE INSTRUMENT IN ASSESSING THE RESULTS OF GROUP COUNSELING CONDUCTED WITH FEMALE INMATES WITH DRUG PROBLEMS. POTENTIAL USES OF THE INSTRUMENT ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA, A LIST OF REFERENCES, AND A COPY OF THE INSTRUMENT ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)