U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 3
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
Mason, Daniel E.
c/o The Wackenhut Corporation
4200 Wackenhut Drive #100
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410-4243
USA
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
5/23/96
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
###-##-####
4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
The Wackenhut Corporation
WAK and WAK B
5. Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer (Check all applicable)
( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below)
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Domestic Operations Group
6. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
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Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned |
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1. Title of Security |2. Amount of |3. Ownership |4. Nature of Indirect |
| Securities | Form: | Beneficial Ownership |
| Beneficially | Direct(D) or | |
| Owned | Indirect(I) | |
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<S> <C> <C> <C>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<CAPTION>
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Table II -- Derivative Securitites Beneficially Owned |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Date Exer- |3.Title and Amount | |4. Conver-|5. Owner- |6. Nature of Indirect |
Security | cisable and | of Underlying | |sion or |ship: | Beneficial Ownership |
| Expiration | Securities | |exercise |Form of | |
| Date(Month/ |-----------------------|---------|price of |Deriv- | |
| Day/Year) | |Amount |deri- |ative | |
| Date | Expira- | |or |vative |Security: | |
| Exer- | tion | Title |Number of|Security |Direct(D) or | |
| cisable | Date | |Shares | |Indirect(I) | |
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Series B Common Stock | | | | | | | |
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1994 Options |4/30/94 |4/29/04 |Series B Common Stock |6,250 (1)|D | | |
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1995 Options |1/28/95 |1/27/05 |Series B Common Stock |5,000 (1)|D | | |
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1996 Options |1/30/96 |1/29/06 |Series B Common Stock |4,000 (1)|D | | |
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</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
NOTES:
(1) Options Adjusted for Stock
Dividends.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/s/ Daniel E. Mason BY: J. P. Rowan as Attorney-In-Fact
DATE
6/7/96
