STUDY SUBJECTS WERE PAROLED IN 1970 FROM EITHER THE MANSFIELD REFORMATORY OR THE LEBANON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IN OHIO. THREE GROUPS WERE EXAMINED: MEN WHO HAD COMPLETED A VOCATIONAL OR AN ACADEMIC HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM AS THEIR PRIMARY ASSIGNMENTS IN PRISON, AND THOSE WHO HAD COMPLETED AN INSTITUTIONAL WORK ASSISNMENT. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN RECIDIVISM RATES AMONG PARTICIPANTS OF VOCATIONAL, ACADEMIC, AND INSTITUTIONAL WORK PROGRAMS, THE DATA SEEM TO INDICATE A TREND TOWARD LESS RECIDIVISM AMONG PAROLEES WHO COMPLETED A VOCATIONAL OR ACADEMIC PROGRAM. THE RECIDIVISM RATES FOR VOCATIONAL, ACADEMIC, AND WORK PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE 21, 20, AND 29 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY. THERE WAS NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE AMONG GROUPS WITH REGARD TO OCCUPATIONAL SUCCESS, BUT THE DATA SEEM TO INDICATE A TREND TOWARD GREATER OCCUPATIONAL SUCCESS AMONG PAROLEES COMPLETING ACADEMIC OR VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THESE AND OTHER FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED. SUPPORTING DATA, COPIES OF STUDY INSTRUMENTS, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)