IT COVERS THE PERIOD 1972 THROUGH JANUARY 1976 AND IS BASED ON RESEARCH CONDUCTED FROM AUGUST 1975 TO MARCH 1976. RESEARCH FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON 10 LOCALES: THE WASHINGTON, D.C. HEADQUARTERS OF LEAA; THE EIGHT CITIES WHERE THE HIGH IMPACT PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED (ATLANTA, BALTIMORE, CLEVELAND, DALLAS, DENVER, NEWARK, ST. LOUIS, AND PORTLAND, (OR) AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. EXAMINED ARE THOSE ASPECTS OF THE ANTI-CRIME PROGRAM THAT GIVE LEAA THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE LEADERSHIP BY FORMULATING NATIONAL CRIME POLICIES AND BY DEVISING STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS TO COMBAT CRIME. ALSO CONSIDERED IS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE EIGHT HIGH IMPACT CITIES. IN ADDITION, THIS CRITICAL ANALYSIS UPDATES THE FINDINGS REPORTED IN 'LAW AND DISORDER III' CONCERNING THE LEAA PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA AND REVIEWS THE LEAA-SUPPORTED DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FIELD. THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT THE NATION IS IN NO BETTER POSITION TODAY IN ITS EFFORT TO COMBAT CRIME THAN IT WAS WHEN THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT OF 1968 WAS ENACTED AND RECOMMENDS THE TERMINATION OF THE LEAA PROGRAM AS IT IS PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED. FOR 'LAW AND DISORDER III', SEE NCJ-09133.