THE PHILOSOPHY OF CORRECTIONS UNDERLYING THE PROPOSED 8-WEEK ORIENTATION PROGRAM VIEWS EACH OFFENDER AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH SPECIAL PROBLEMS DERIVED FROM HIS OR HER UNIQUE BACKGROUND, REQUIRING A CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM THAT WILL RELATE ITS SERVICES TO THE INMATE'S PARTICULAR NEEDS. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM AIMS AT PREPARING OFFENDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH A CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM BY INTRODUCING THEM TO THE FOLLOWING CONCERNS: VOCATIONAL CHOICES OR FIELDS OF ENDEAVOR; IMMEDIATE PROBLEMS OF LIFE IN A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION; AND ADJUSTMENT TO POSTINSTITUTIONAL LIFE. SUCH AN ORIENTATION PROGRAM HAS THE DUAL FUNCTION OF GIVING INFORMATION AND SETTING THE FOUNDATION FOR THERAPY. ALONG WITH THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM (I.E., ACTIVITIES, INSTITUTIONS, PAROLE, WORK ASSIGNMENTS), THE PROGRAM WOULD ALSO DEAL WITH NEGATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT PRISON LIFE. THE ELEMENTS OF THE CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE ORIENTATION SESSIONS WOULD INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT A PERSONAL INVENTORY, OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION, AND INFORMATION ABOUT PERSONAL COUNSELING, PREPARATION FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND JOB PLACEMENT AND FOLLOWUP. THE CONCENTRATED SCHEDULE FOR THE ORIENTATION PERIOD PROPOSED IS DIVIDED INTO TWO MAJOR AREAS: (1) GENERAL--A SYSTEM OVERVIEW INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SYSTEM, REQUIREMENTS, AND RULES AND REGULATIONS; AND (2) OCCUPATIONAL--SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND OCCUPATIONAL CHOICE. TWO WEEKS OR TEN DAYS ARE ALLOTTED FOR EACH OF THESE CONCERNS. AN OUTLINE FOR THE 10-DAY GENERAL ORIENTATION PERIOD IS PRESENTED, AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE 10-DAY OCCUPATIONAL PERIOD SHOULD CONSIST CHIEFLY OF OCCUPATIONAL DISCUSSION GROUPS AND LECTURES BY RESOURCE PERSONS REPRESENTING THE VARIOUS AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT. A SUGGESTED SCHEDULE FOR AN ENTIRE 8-WEEK DIAGNOSTIC-ORIENTATION PERIOD IS ALSO GIVEN. ALTHOUGH THE ORIENTATION PROGRAM PROPOSED IS DESIGNED FOR THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, IT IS BELIEVED THAT MOST MODERN CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES COULD ADOPT THE METHODS PROPOSED. (RCB)