THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO (1) IDENTIFY THE POPULATION PRESUMABLY EMPLOYABLE, UNEMPLOYED ADULTS, AGED 16 TO 72 IN A TIGHT LABOR MARKET AREA, (2) ASCERTAIN THEIR CHARACTERISTICS, (3) ASSESS EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS, NEEDS AND POTENTIAL, AND (4) DETERMINE SERVICES AND ACTION PROGRAMS NECESSARY TO MAKE THEM EMPLOYABLE. BETWEEN JULY AND OCTOBER 1966 A SAMPLE OF 1,479 PERSONS IDENTIFIED FROM EMPLOYMENT SERVICE FILES, WELFARE DEPARTMENT FILES, SUBSTANDARD HOUSING AREAS, AND CASUAL SETTINGS SUCH AS BARS AND POOLROOMS WAS INTERVIEWED. WHILE 22 PERCENT WERE ACTIVELY SEEKING WORK, MOST WERE NOT. ROUGHLY ONE-QUARTER OF THOSE INTERVIEWED CONSTITUTED A GROUP WHO WERE VOLUNTARILY IDLE AND COULD HAVE FOUND WORK HAD THEY BEEN SUFFICIENTLY MOTIVATED TO DO SO. THE SECOND GROUP OF ONE-QUARTER INCLUDED MANY OLDER LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED FOR WHOM SPECIAL REMEDIAL AND REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE EMPLOYABLE. OF THIS GROUP, MANY WERE UNSKILLED, INEXPERIENCED, ALIENATED, DEPENDENT, AND ENGAGED IN ILLICIT ACTIVITIES. THE OTHER 50 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE HELD THE MOST PROMISE FOR EMPLOYABILITY IF SPECIAL PROGRAMS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THIS GROUP INCLUDED YOUNGER AND PRIME WORKING AGE PERSONS WHO LACKED MOTIVATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, OR CHILD-CARE FACILITIES. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT NEW STRATEGIES INCLUDE (1) ESTABLISHING PROGRAMS BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY ACCESSIBLE, (2) PROVIDING TRAINING, JOB-FINDING INSTRUCTION, ENTRY ARRANGEMENTS, AND FOLLOWUP MEASURES USING HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED METHODS IN A LINKED-SERVICE PLAN, AND (3) DEVELOPING A STRONG AND LOCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANPOWER POLICY GROUP. (ET)