THIS VOLUME IS THE FIRST IN A THREE VOLUME SERIES. IT IS INTENDED TO SERVE TWO ENDS: TO EXPLAIN WHAT CAPER IS AND HOW IT HAS BEEN USED, AND TO PRESENT A SOURCE BOOK THAT WILL AID OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN ASSESSING THE UTILITY OF CAPER FOR IMPLEMENTATION. THE CAPER SYSTEM IS AN ANALYTIC TOOL WHICH PRODUCES A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CRIMES REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THIS CHARACTERIZATION IS MORE THAN THE TYPICAL DATE, TIME, LOCATION, AND OFFENSE TYPE; HENCE CRIME MAY BE ANALYZED MORE IN DEPTH; SPECIAL PROJECTS TO ADDRESS THESE CRIMES MAY BE DEVELOPED RATIONALLY AND CLOSELY EVALUATED; AND AREAS OF RESEARCH AND PLANNING MAY BE IDENTIFIED. INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT ARE A FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CAPER SYSTEM; A DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONAL APPLICATIONS OF THE SYSTEM FOR CRIME ANALYSIS, PROJECT EVALUATION, AND RESEARCH; AND AN OVERVIEW OF AREAS OF FUTURE INTEREST. IT IS NOTED THAT AFTER TWO YEARS OF COUNTY-WIDE OPERATION, ACHIEVEMENTS FALL INTO THREE AREAS: THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF CAPER IN BEHALF OF EVERY POLICE AGENCY IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, ORIENTATION OF PARTICIPATING AGENCIES THROUGH TRAINING SEMINARS, AND EXTENSIVE AGENCIES. FOR VOLUME 2 IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ-35856. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)