THE SETTING OF THE STUDY WAS THE SHELBY COUNTY PENAL FARM, A MINIMUM SECURITY CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FOR MALES LOCATED NEAR MEMPHIS, TENN. THIS EVALUATIVE STUDY EXAMINES THE EFFECT OF THE SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (SMP) AT THAT INSTITUTION UPON THE RECIDIVISM AND OFFENSE SEVERITY OF PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE PENAL FARM FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE SMP ARE (1) A CLIENT CANNOT BE A DRUG OFFENDER, (2) HE CANNOT HAVE OTHER CHARGES PENDING, (3) HE MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 5 MONTHS REMAINING ON HIS SENTENCE, (4) HE CANNOT BE A SEX OFFENDER, AND (5) HE CANNOT BE A SECURITY RISK. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A TOTAL, SUPERVISED CONTINGENCY ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING SEPARATE LIVING QUARTERS. ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PERSONAL HYGIENE, GROOMING, PARTICIPATION IN WORK ASSIGNMENTS AND PROGRAM ACTIVITIES ARE DEFINED BEHAVIORALLY, AND POINTS CAN BE EARNED BY DISPLAYING APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS. EARNED POINTS MAY BE EXCHANGED FOR A VARIETY OF EXTRA PRIVILEGES AND GOODS. IN ORDER TO MEASURE OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAM, THE LAW ENCOUNTER SEVERITY SCALE, PRESENTING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND RECIDIVISM AS A CONTINUUM COVERING ALL SITUATIONS AND OFFENSES WHICH CAN BE VERIFIED BY OFFICIAL RECORDS, WAS USED WITH A SAMPLE OF 48 FORMER INMATES IN SMP AND 48 NONEQUIVALENT MEMBERS OF A CONTROL GROUP SELECTED FROM THE GENERAL POPULATION OF EX-INMATES. THE STUDY SHOWED THAT SUBJECTS EXPOSED TO SMP TENDED TO HAVE A LESSER DEGREE OF LAW ENCOUNTER SEVERITY IN PROPORTION TO THEIR DURATION IN THE PROGRAM AND REVEALED A POSITIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN AN INCREASE IN THE SEVERITY OF OFFENSE AND THE LENGTH OF THE PERIOD OF POSTINCARCERATION. GIVEN THE PROFILE OF THE SAMPLE STUDIED, THE STUDY INDICATES THAT BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES TEND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN CHANGING CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF OFFENDERS WHO ARE RELATIVELY YOUNG, HAVE A SHORT CRIME HISTORY OF PRIMARILY PROPERTY OFFENSES, ARE HIGHLY MOTIVATED TOWARD CHANGE, AND ARE INCARCERATED IN A MINIMUM SECURITY PRISON SETTING. THESE MODIFICATION EFFECTS, HOWEVER, TEND TO DIMINISH WITH TIME. IT IS ADVISED THAT THE FINDINGS REQUIRE CAREFUL QUALIFICATION IN INTERPRETATION BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS IN RESEARCH DESIGN AND STATISTICAL TREATMENT. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)