THERE IS A LACK OF A WELL-DEFINED CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF: (1) EXTREME GEOGRAPHIC FRAGMENTATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, REFLECTING AMERICA'S TRADITIONAL DESIRE FOR LOCAL AUTONOMY; AND (2) FUNCTIONAL FRAGMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM'S COMPONENTS. EACH COMPONENT OF THE SYSTEM HAS DIFFERENT GOALS AND SEES CRIME FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, SO LITTLE COORDINATION EXISTS AMONG THEM. HOWEVER, THE COMPONENTS ARE INTERRELATED; ANY CHANGES IN ONE AFFECT THE OTHERS. THUS THERE IS A NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE NETWORK, WHICH REQUIRES THAT AGENCIES BE VIEWED AS COMPONENTS OF A LARGER ENTITY AND THAT THE JUSTICE NETWORK ANTICIPATE ITS FUTURE NEEDS, RATHER THAN REACT TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AS THEY ARISE. COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING CALLS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MOST EFFICIENT MEANS OF REACHING THOSE GOALS, AND CONSTANT PROGRAM EVALUATION TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE OBJECTIVES ARE BEING ACHIEVED. THIS TYPE OF PLANNING IMPLIES CENTRALIZATION. OPPOSITION TO IT IS STRONG; HOWEVER, ADVANTAGES OF FUNCTIONAL CENTRALIZATION ARE CITED WHICH COULD STILL SERVE TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF ITS MAIN OPPONENTS. INTELLIGENT APPLICATION OF SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS AND COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COULD ALLEVIATE MANY OF THE PROBLEMS CAUSING THE DEMAND FOR DECENTRALIZATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE NETWORK. GOAL FORMULATION WOULD ALLOW A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FOR DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS WHILE GIVING LOWER LEVEL MANAGEMENT MORE FREEDOM IN DESIGNING THOSE PROGRAMS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.