THE SPECIAL FOCUS WAS ON SPECIALIZATION OF FUNCTIONS, TO SEE WHETHER SPECIALIZATION IMPEDES OR FACILITATES MISSION FULFILLMENT AND WHETHER IT AFFECTS THE ROLE OF THE OFFICERS. A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS SENT TO THE CHIEFS OF 102 PROBATION AND PAROLE AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE U.S.; 62 COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES WERE RETURNED. THE RESEARCH EFFORT DEVELOPED ALONG THE FOLLOWING OUTLINE: (1) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PROBATION AND PAROLE PHILOSOPHY; (2) ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF SPECIALIZATION OR NONSPECIALIZATION ON EFFICIENCY; (3) RELATING THE CONSEQUENCES OF SPECIALIZATION OR NONSPECIALIZATION TO TECHNIQUES OF TREATMENT; AND (4) CONSIDERATION OF THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF SPECIALIZATION ON STAFF MORALE AND PROFESSIONAL ROLES. THE SIMILARITY OF PROBATION AND PAROLE, THE VAGUENESS OF ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS, AND METHODS OF SPECIALIZATION ARE UNDERSCORED. THE MISSION AND PHILOSOPHY OF PROBATION AND PAROLE ARE ASSESSED WITH REGARD TO THEIR STATUTORY FOUNDATIONS, CORE PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES, FACTORS OF MISSION EXPANSION, CODES OF CONDUCT, AND THE IMPACT OF PSYCHIATRY. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY AN EXAMINATION OF PROBATION AND PAROLE AS A DISCIPLINE, WITH ATTENTION TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENT, THE SOCIAL WORK INFLUENCE, THE INFLUENCES OF CRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. REASONS FOR DIVIDING WORK, LIMITATIONS ON WORK DIVISION, CONCEPT OF EFFICIENCY, HUMAN RELATIONS APPROACH, AND CONCEPT OF RATIONALITY ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN A DISCUSSION OF SPECIALIZATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE THEORY. FINALLY, THE ROLE OF SPECIALIZATION IN THE OPERATION OF PROBATION AND PAROLE SERVICES IS EXAMINED IN TERMS OF TREATMENT CONSIDERATIONS, ADMINISTRATIVE CONSIDERATIONS, AND ROLE CHANGES. CONCLUSIONS RELATING TO: (1) THE FUNDAMENTALS OF PROBATION AND PAROLE PHILOSOPHY; (2) THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF SPECIALIZATION OR NONSPECIALIZATION ON EFFICIENCY; (3) THE CONSEQUENCES OF SPECIALIZATION AND NONSPECIALIZATION IN TREATMENT TECHNIQUES; AND (4) THE IMPACT OF SPECIALIZATION ON STAFF MORALE AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS, ARE PROVIDED. THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND DETAILED BREAKDOWNS OF THE RESPONSES ARE APPENDED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. (KBL)