PRERELEASE PROGRAMS, FREQUENTLY OVERLOOKED IN CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMMING, ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE STATISTICS INDICATE THAT INCIDENTS CAUSING RECIDIVISM OCCUR MOST OFTEN WITHIN 60 TO 90 DAYS AFTER RELEASE. PRERELEASE PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED UNDER TWO BROAD CATEGORIES: INSTITUTION-BASED PRERELEASE PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY-BASED PRERELEASE PROGRAMS. INSTITUTION-BASED PROGRAMS GENERALLY ADDRESS THEMSELVES TO THE FOLLOWING PRACTICAL INFORMATION CATEGORIES: PAROLE AND PAROLE PROCEDURES, LEGAL ISSUES, EMPLOYMENT, FINANCES, FAMILY PROBLEMS, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. THE LECTURE METHOD OF TRAINING GENERALLY IS AVOIDED IN INFORMATION PRESENTATIONS, WITH GROUP DISCUSSION OR CONFERENCE-TYPE SETTINGS PREFERRED. SOME INSTITUTIONAL PRERELEASE PROGRAMS INCREASINGLY HAVE INCORPORATED COMMUNITY CONTACTS INTO THEIR DESIGN. WHATEVER THE SPECIFIC GOALS OF PARTICULAR PRERELEASE PROGRAMS MAY BE, THE USE OF CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE OF RESIDENTS SHOULD BE BASIC TO A SOUND COMMUNITY-BASED RELEASE PROGRAM. PROGRAM DESIGN, OPERATING PROCEDURES, STAFFING, SITE LOCATION, PHYSICAL FACILITIES, IMPACT OF PRERELEASE CENTERS, AND COSTS ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO COMMUNITY-BASED PRERELEASE CENTERS. THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM, THE 90-DAY ACCELERATED PRERELEASE PROGRAM, THE EDUCATION RELEASE, AND THE FURLOUGH ARE DISCUSSED AS ELEMENTS OF THE STATEWIDE PRERELEASE PROGRAMS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. A BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (RCB)