At another, it's a coolly controlled examination of increasingly insane criminal ineptitude.

A 'Rare' Opportunity The last work in this area, Mr. Diters said, was done in the 30's, "in a hasty fashion and without regard for information that can be determined in a careful, controlled examination."

But people who have studied welfare reform said that it was virtually impossible to measure the cost-effectiveness of America Works without a controlled examination of whether the people the company placed could have found jobs by themselves or through other programs.