THE INCREASED USE OF PROBATION IN FELONY CASES IMPLIES THAT MORE DIFFICULT CASES ARE BEING COMMITTED TO STATE INSTITUTIONS. THE CONCEPT OF THE DIGNITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE CONCEPT THAT ALL PERSONS HAVE A RIGHT TO BE SECURE AND SAFE REQUIRE THAT CONVICTED PERSONS BE EFFECTIVELY AIDED TO MEET THE OBLIGATIONS OF A CITIZEN AFTER INSTITUTIONAL RELEASE. THE REDUCTION OF CRIME THROUGH THE PAROLE PROCESS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH RESPONSIBLE DECISIONMAKING AND ADEQUATE SUPERVISION. THE BASIC PURPOSE OF PAROLE IS NOT TO REWARD A PERSON MERELY FOR GOOD CONDUCT IN PRISON OR TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS IN PRISON BUT TO HELP THE OFFENDER BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN A REGIMENTED LIFE WITHIN PRISON WALLS AND THE FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIETY. THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE PASSED THE CORRECTIONAL ORGANIZATION ACT IN 1975 THAT MANDATED MAJOR CHANGES IN THE SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION'S FUNCTION, AND THE COMMISSION WAS REORGANIZED IN 1976 AS A RESULT OF THIS LEGISLATION. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL AREAS OF THE REORGANIZED COMMISSION ARE PAROLE DECISIONMAKING, PAROLE REVOCATION, MANDATORY CONDITIONAL RELEASE, WAIVER OF THE COST OF SUPERVISION, WORK RELEASE, EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY, POLICY FORMULATION AND RULEMAKING, AND ADMINISTRATION. HIGHLIGHTS OF 1976 WERE: (1) PAROLE RELEASES INCREASED BY 4 PERCENT OVER FISCAL YEAR 1974-1975; (2) FELONY CASES UNDER PROBATION SUPERVISION INCREASED BY 7 PERCENT; (3) PAROLE EXAMINERS INTERVIEWED 20,034 INMATES, A 22-PERCENT INCREASE; (4) UNIFORM PAROLE REPORTS CONTINUED TO INDICATE THAT FLORIDA'S PAROLE SUCCESS RATE IS CONSISTENTLY HIGHER THAN NATIONAL FIGURES; AND (5) IN IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS OF THE CORRECTIONAL ORGANIZATION ACT OF 1975, THE COMMISSION'S STAFF WAS REDUCED FROM 1,321 TO 149. (DEP)