A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE DISCUSSES THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN ASSESSING RECIDIVISM AND PRESENTS BACKGROUND INFORMATION RELATED TO THE UTAH STATE PRISON. FHE WAS STARTED IN 1967 WITH SIX INMATE PARTICIPANTS AND TWO VOLUNTEER HOME TEACHERS FOR EACH PARTICIPANT. IN 1968, FAMILIES WERE ASKED TO ADOPT AN INMATE AND JOIN THE INMATE ONCE A MONTH FOR FAMILY NIGHT AT THE PRISON. THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE INMATE AND THE FAMILY IS CONSIDERED TO BE A LIFETIME COMMITMENT. THE FHE EVENING INCLUDES A VISIT TO THE CHAPEL, PLANNED ACTIVITIES, AND A GROUP MEETING CLOSING WITH A HYMN AND PRAYER. OVER 2,000 PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM BY 1976. CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR ACCEPTING AN INMATE INTO THE FHE PROGRAM ARE DISCUSSED ALONG WITH THE FAMILY-CENTERED ACTIVITIES USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH FHE. METHODS USED IN THE STUDY INVOLVED A COMBINATION OF HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH. THE SAMPLE CONTAINED THE 51 MALE INMATES AND THEIR FAMILIES INVOLVED IN THE FHE PROGRAM IN 1977. A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ISSUED TO NONRECIDIVIST AND RECIDIVIST INMATES PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND TO FHE FAMILY MEMBERS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE DEALTH WITH THE FAMILY BACKGROUND OF THE INMATE, HIS FEELINGS ABOUT RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS, AND HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE PRISON FHE PROGRAM. RECIDIVISM RATES FOR THOSE IN THE FHE PROGRAM AND THE GENERAL PRISON POPULATION WERE OBTAINED FOR COMPARATIVE PURPOSES. EACH RESEARCH QUESTION INCLUDED IN THE STUDY AND A SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THOSE INMATES SELECTED FOR AND PARTICIPATING IN FHE HAD A LOWER RECIDIVISM RATE THAN OTHER INMATES, AND THAT LACK OF LOVE, LITTLE SELF-DISCIPLINE, LIMITED CHURCH ACTIVITY, AND PEER PRESSURE ARE COMMON FACTORS IN THE LIVES OF PRISON INMATES. THOSE INMATES WHO HAD ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED IN CHURCH ACTIVITY AT ONE TIME IN THEIR LIVES MADE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR THE PROGRAM. THE FHE FAMILIES DREW CLOSER TOGETHER THROUGH PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROGRAM BE CONTINUED, FURTHER RESEARCH BE DONE TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF THE SELECTION PROCESS ON RECIDIVISM RATES, THE SELECTION PROCESS EMPHASIZE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS, AND FAMILIES BE ENCOURAGED AND TRAINED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED, AND THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS, SELECTION PROCEDURES, AND DATA SHEETS. (DAG)