The review of major criminal justice issues, trends, and problems addresses crime trends, the future of probation, the prison and jail crisis, alternatives to incarceration, substance abuse and crime, and crime and its causes. The review also summarizes the findings of the 1986 Rand report on the effectiveness of prison and probation sanctions. The preliminary analysis of the 1986 data on the activities of the Criminal Division of the Nassau County Probation Department focuses on presentence investigations (by type of offense, offender demographics, and disposition), supervision caseload, and probation violations and recidivism. Findings indicate the division has pursued innovative programming that includes community services, a drunk-driving unit, victim services, sex offender research, reduction in pretrial detention, and electronic home detention. Programming has been characterized by flexibility and multiple objectives. In 1986, as in recent years, drunk driving offenders were the principal focus of presentence investigations and supervision. 47 tables.