SITE VISITS TO 20 INTENSIVE AND SPECIAL ADULT PROBATION PROJECTS CONSTITUTED THE BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GENERAL ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS THE ADEQUACY OF PROJECT FUNDING IN TERMS OF PROJECT IMPACT. THREE OBJECTIVES WERE GENERALIZED FOR PROBATION PROJECTS: (1) TO ENHANCE THE CAPABILITY OF CLIENTS TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN SOCIETY; (2) TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY BY MINIMIZING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY; AND (3) TO REDUCE THE PRISON POPULATION THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE USE OF PROBATION. CLIENT CHANGE IN THE FORM OF ALTERED BEHAVIOR AND SELF-FUNCTIONING WAS AN ALMOST UNIVERSAL GOAL OF THE 20 PROJECTS, AND ENHANCED EMPLOYMENT WAS SEEN AS THE BEST WAY OF EFFECTING CLIENT CHANGE. THE GENERAL ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK ENCOMPASSES SIX CONCEPTUAL ISSUE AREAS, WITH ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES SPECIFIED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE RAISED. THE AREAS INCLUDE INTENSIVENESS OF PROBATION, LOCALE FOR SPECIALIZED TREATMENT, NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PROBATIONER, COMMUNITY ORIENTATION, CLIENT CHANGE MODELS, AND PROJECT GOALS. MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS OF INTENSIVE AND SPECIAL ADULT PROBATION ARE THE BASIS OF RECOMMENDED REVISIONS TO PROBATION PRACTICES. THE OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF INTENSIVE PROBATION SHOULD REFLECT CONTACT CHARACTER AND NOT CASELOAD. SINCE PROJECT EVALUATIONS ARE COSTLY AND DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH AND PROBATION PERSONNEL ARE MORE CONCERNED WITH AND BETTER TRAINED FOR SERVICES THAN FOR RESEARCH, RELATIVELY FEW EVALUATION STUDIES SHOULD BE SUPPORTED. REVOCATION IS A PARTICULARLY POOR OUTCOME MEASURE CONCEPTUALLY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS THE SOLE INDEX OF DECREASED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: CLIENT CHANGE TOWARD REDUCED CRIMINALITY THROUGH ATTITUDE MODIFICATION; COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE OF PROBATION OUTCOMES; CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH VOLUNTEER AND PARAPROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS ARE USEFUL; THE USE OF INHOUSE SPECIALIZED SERVICE CAPABILITIES; THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPPORT FOR REFERRAL SOURCES; THE USE OF AVAILABLE COMMUNITY RESOURCES; ALTERNATIVE FORMULATIONS THAT ACCURATELY DEPICT CLIENT CHANGE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN INTENSIVE AND SPECIAL PROBATION; AND WHEN THE SEPARATION OF THE HELPING RELATIONSHIP FROM THE AUTHORITARIAN ROLE IS EFFECTIVE. ELEMENTS OF INTENSIVE AND SPECIAL PROBATION PROCESSES ARE ILLUSTRATED IN A FLOW CHART. REFERENCES ARE NOTED. (DEP)