SHOCK PROBATION (SPLIT SENTENCES) IS BASED ON THE PREMISE THAT, UNDER PRESCRIBED CONDITIONS, A PERSONS WILL CHOOSE TO LEAD A LAW-ABIDING LIFE AFTER HAVING BEEN EXPOSED FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME TO THE HORRORS OF PENITENTIARY LIFE. THE STUDY COMPARES THE CHARACTERISTICS AND EXPERIENCES OF PERSONS GRANTED SHOCK PROBATION WITH THOSE OF PERSONS GRANTED REGULAR PROBATION AND PERSONS INCARCERATED WITHOUT BENEFIT OF PROBATION. RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PENAL SANCTIONS AND THE SOCIAL AND CRIMINAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SENTENCED PERSONS ARE EXPLORED, AS ARE THE ADMINISTRATION OF SHOCK PROBATION BY JUDGES AND THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS PENAL SANCTIONS ON RECIDIVISM. STUDY SUBJECTS INCLUDE 60 MALE AND 7 FEMALE SHOCK PROBATIONERS, PLUS CONTROL GROUPS OF REGULAR PROBATIONERS AND OF INSTITUTIONALIZED OFFENDERS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR SHOCK PROBATION BUT WHO HAD NOT BEEN RELEASED. THE COMBINED SAMPLES REPRESENTED DISPOSITIONS BY 15 JUDGES OF THE FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT. THE DATA INDICATE THAT SHOCK PROBATION AS ADMINISTERED IN FRANKLIN COUNTY CLEARLY IS NOT A DESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE TO REGULAR PROBATION. ANALYSIS OF 2-YEAR RECIDIVISM DATA SHOWS THAT, ALTHOUGH REPORTED SUCCESS RATES FOR REGULAR PROBATION RANGE FROM 50 TO 90 PERCENT, PROBATION IS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN INCARCERATION IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM, AND SHOCK PROBATION ACTUALLY CAN INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF FURTHER CRIMINAL INVOLVEMENT. STUDY INSTRUMENTS, SUPPORTING DATA, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)