THE PROMIS COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS INVOLVES DATA COLLECTION COST AND BENEFIT ESTIMATION, DISCUSSION OF RESULTS, AND SPECIAL STUDIES. IN AN ONSITE VISIT TO THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INSTITUTE FOR LAW AND SOCIAL RESEARCH (INSLAW) GATHERS ABOUT 250 ITEMS OF INFORMATION COVERING SUCH AREAS AS STAFF SALARIES, CASE-PROCESSING VOLUMES, WITNESS FEES, AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFICE'S COMPUTER. THESE DATA ARE ENTERED INTO AN AUTOMATED COST/BENEFIT MODEL, WHICH PRODUCES THREE OUTPUTS: A SUMMARY TABLE CONTAINING ESTIMATES OF 30 CATEGORIES OF PROMIS COSTS AND BENEFITS FOR THE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PERIOD AND FOR A 1-YEAR OPERATING PERIOD; A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF OVER 100 INTERMEDIATE RESULTS (E.G., COMPUTER COST PER PROMIS INQUIRY); AND A LISTING OF THE VALUES OF ALL VARIABLES USED IN THE ANALYSIS. THE INSLAW REPRESENTATIVE THEN DISCUSSES THE FINDINGS WITH THE PROSECUTOR. THE JURISDICTION'S COST/BENEFIT RESULTS ARE ENTERED ON INSLAW'S COMPUTER SO THAT THE COST-BENEFIT MODEL CAN BE REESTIMATED UNDER ALTERNATIVE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT CASE PROCESSING, HARDWARE CONFIGURATIONS, OR MODIFICATIONS IN THE BASIC PROMIS SYSTEM. THE CATEGORIES OF COSTS AND BENEFITS ENCOMPASSED IN THE ANALYSIS ARE DISCUSSED, AND COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANALYSIS ARE ANSWERED. SAMPLES OF OUTPUT FROM THE COMPUTER MODEL ARE INCLUDED. FOR OTHER ISSUES IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ 44750-44767 AND 44769-44770.