Plasma-generated particulates are receiving increased attention as a source of contamination in plasma etching and deposition systems. These particles are suspended electrically in the plasma, and they are subject to electrical, thermophoretic, gravitational, and frictional drag forces from both plasma ions and neutrals. Consequently, they form complex spatial arrangements in the glow. We have investigated these particle arrangements by spatially mapping the particle distribution with a simple HeNe scattering system. We have also employed direct sampling as a way to determine particle size. The systems we have studied include copper and aluminum particles formed in an argon sputtering system, and carbon containing particles grown in a methane discharge. In addition we have modeled a particulate containing discharge in an effort to understand how the particulates act under the influence of electrical forces, ion drag, gravitational forces, and thermophoretic forces. The model is used as an aid in understanding the light scattering results.