THE INSTITUTE FULFILLS THIS MANDATE BY IDENTIFYING RESEARCH NEEDS AND DEVELOPING AND SPONSORING PROJECTS THAT ARE CARRIED OUT BY INDEPENDENT GRANTEES AND CONTRACTORS. AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF DISTINGUISHED PRACTITIONERS AND RESEARCHERS ASSISTS THE INSTITUTE IN SETTING RESEARCH PRIORITIES. THE FIELD OF INQUIRY INCLUDES CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. IN ADDITION TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, THE INSTITUTE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVALUATING CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS, PROMOTING THE ADOPTION OF PROMISING RESEARCH FINDINGS AND SUCCESSFUL PRACTICES, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY, AND ASSISTING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION (LEAA) IN PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. THE INSTITUTE'S PROGRAM OBJECTIVES FOR FY 1977 ARE OUTLINED IN THIS BROCHURE. CURRENT PRIORITIES AND ON-GOING ACTIVITIES ARE SET FORTH FOR EACH OF THE INSTITUTE'S THREE BRANCHES: OFFICE OF RESEARCH PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF EVALUATION, AND OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. THE RESEARCH EFFORTS OF THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH PROGRAMS FOCUSES ON NEW APPROACHES IN COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION, POLICE, COURTS, CORRECTIONS, AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVES OF THE OFFICE OF EVALUATION ARE TO DEVELOP MORE SOPHISTICATED CRIMINAL JUSTICE EVALUATION TECHNIQUES, TO INCREASE THE CAPABILITIES OF STATE AND REGIONAL EALUATORS, AND TO DESIGN AND SPONSOR FULL-SCALE EVALUATIONS OF KEY NATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROMOTES WIDESPREAD ADOPTION OF IMPROVED CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTICES THROUGH THREE PROGRAM DIVISIONS - MODEL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND TESTING, AND REFERENCE AND DISSEMINATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT) (SNI ABSTRACT)...ELW