THE PROBLEM, PURPOSE, AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY IS OUTLINED, AND TERMS USED COMMONLY IN THE THESIS, SUCH AS PROBATION, PAROLE, PROBATION OFFICER, PAROLE OFFICER, PROBATIONER, PAROLEE, INSERVICE TRAINING, TREATMENT, PUNISHMENT, ASSISTANCE, AND CONTROL ARE DEFINED. RELATED STUDIES AND SELECTED MODELS OF TRAINING PROGRAMS WHICH HAVE BEEN USED IN THE CORRECTIONS FIELD ARE EXAMINED. THE SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY, RESEARCH DESIGN, RESEARCH SETTING, SELECTION AND LOCATION OF THE PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS, METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION, VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY, AND STATISTICAL PROCEDURES ARE DELINEATED. TWELVE DIRECTIONAL HYPOTHESES FORMULATED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE CLARITY OF PURPOSE AND DIRECTION IN THE DATA ANALYSIS ARE ALSO INTRODUCED. THE COMPOSITION OF THE STUDY POPULATION IS DISCUSSED. SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDY POPULATION AND A COMPARISON OF SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS ARE PROVIDED. THE PRINCIPAL FINDINGS SHOW THAT PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS HAVE DEFINITE AND VARIED VIEWS OF THEIR ROLE AND THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHERE TRAINING IS NEEDED. VIEWS EXPRESSED WERE INFLUENCED BY AGE AND PRIOR JOB EXPERIENCE. THE RESULTS OF TESTING EACH OF THE 12 HYPOTHESES, AND AN ANALYSIS OF ITEM RESPONSES AND SELECTED PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICER CHARACTERISTICS ARE PROVIDED. FINALLY, A SUMMARY IS PRESENTED, AND CONCLUSIONS ARE OFFERED WITH THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH, PLANNING, AND THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED, AS IS A LIST OF THE TABULAR DATA. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A LETTER WHICH ACCOMPANIED THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE, A LETTER FOR THE DIRECTOR OF ADULT PAROLE, A MEMORANDUM FROM THE STATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE, ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS FOR PROBATION AND PAROLE SERVICES IN THE U.S., POPULATION CHARTS REGARDING ADULTS UNDER CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISION IN THE U.S., THE MINIMUM STANDARDS PROGRAM OF THE MARYLAND CORRECTIONAL TRAINING COMMISSION, THE 7-WEEK ENTRANCE TRAINING PROGRAM OF OHIO'S DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION AND CORRECTION, A TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE COOK COUNTY JUVENILE COURT, A TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE COLORADO YOUTH WORKERS TRAINING CENTER, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA'S TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT, THE TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE COLORADO DIVISION OF ADULT PAROLE AND THE DENVER ADULT PROBATION DEPARTMENT, AND THE TRAINING PROGRAM OF THE COLORADO SCHOOL.