A GROUP OF 156 OFFENDERS TAKEN INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY AND A CONTROL GROUP OF 78 OFFENDERS WITHOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF PRETRIAL DETENTION WERE INTERVIEWED ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THE CONTROL GROUP CONTAINED ALMOST NO PERSONS WITH PREVIOUS PRISON RECORDS. MOREOVER, AGE, SOCIAL CLASS, AND PROFESSIONAL STATUS WERE HIGHER AND THE PERCENTAGE OF PERSONS WITH ONE OR MORE PRISON SENTENCES LOWER THAN IN THE GROUP OF OFFENDERS WITH A PRETRIAL CUSTODY EXPERIENCE. TO PROVIDE MORE CONCLUSIVE ANSWERS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF PRETRIAL DETENTION, FIRST OFFENDERS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED PRETRIAL DETENTION WERE COMPARED TO A CONTROL GROUP OF FIRST OFFENDERS WHO HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO PREVENTIVE DETENTION. BOTH GROUPS WERE SUSPECTED OF SIMILAR CRIMES. HOWEVER, THE GROUP SUBJECTED TO PRETRIAL DETENTION WAS YOUNGER, MORE OFTEN UNEMPLOYED, AND LESS FREQUENTLY MARRIED. PRETRIAL DETENTION WAS SHOWN TO PRODUCE A MORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE POLICE AND MORE PROBLEMS IN RE-ENTERING THE COMMUNITY (LOSS OF JOBS AND BREAKUP OF PERMANENT RELATIONSHIPS WERE OFTEN REPORTED). BECAUSE OF THESE RESULTS AND THE FACT THAT AGE, MARITAL STATUS, AND JOB SITUATION SEEM TO PLAY A ROLE IN THE DECISION TO HOLD A SUSPECT IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT GREATER RESERVATION BE TAKEN IN THE DETERMINATION OF PLACING SUSPECTS IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. --IN DUTCH. (WVK)