DATA FOR THE ANALYSIS WAS GATHERED FROM THE WASHINGTON, D.C. PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS). CRIMINAL INCIDENTS ARE REPORTED FOR SUCH FACTORS AS SERIOUSNESS OF CHARGE AND TYPE OF VICTIM. DEFENDANT RELATED FACTORS REPORTED IN THIS DOCUMENT INCLUDE NUMBER OF CODEFENDANTS, NUMBER OF VICTIMS, AGE, RACE, PRIOR ARRESTS, CRIME SERIOUSNESS, AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE DEFENDANT AND VICTIM. THE FOUR STAGES UNDERTAKEN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED. THESE INCLUDE EXAMINATION OF EXISTING TYPOLOGIES, AN EXAMINATION OF THE DATA SOURCES WITH WHICH PROMIS DATA WOULD EVENTUALLY BE COMPARED, A REVIEW OF PROMIS DATA FOR 1973, AND DEVELOPMENT OF A VERSION OF THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. THE PROCEDURE FOR CLASSIFYING CRIMINAL INCIDENTS AND CASES IN PROMIS AND SOME FURTHER USES OF THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ARE ALSO DISCUSSED.