THE UNIT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN JULY 1976 TO ASSURE THAT MORE SERIOUS CRIMES AND REPEAT OFFENDER CASES WOULD RECEIVE ADEQUATE PROSECUTORIAL EMPHASIS. A PROSECUTOR, INVESTIGATOR, AND PARALEGAL ASSISTANT COOPERATED IN A TARGETED, COORDINATED EFFORT TO GAIN CONVICTIONS IN CASES INVOLVING PROPERTY CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE ATTRIBUTED TO CAREER CRIMINALS. THE NUMBER OF ADULT CRIMINAL CASES BOUND OVER FROM THE MAGISTRATE COURT TO THE DISTRICT COURT ROSE FROM 257 IN 1971 TO 560 IN 1977, AN INCREASE OF 118 PERCENT IN THE 6-YEAR PERIOD. EVALUATION OF THE UNIT REVEALED NO CASES INVOLVING PLEA BARGAINING, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS EARLY, INTENSIVE CASE PREPARATION. CONVICTIONS OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNIT; A CONVICTION RATE OF 86 PERCENT ON BURGLARIES AND ROBBERIES WAS OBTAINED, AS COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR'S RATE OF 72 PERCENT, WHICH INCLUDED CHARGES REDUCED THROUGH PLEA BARGAINING. DISMISSALS WERE ALSO LESS COMMON, WITH A DISMISSAL RATE OF 13 PERCENT FOR THE EVALUATION YEAR, AS COMPARED TO 19 PERCENT FOR THE YEAR BEFORE. THE ELAPSED TIME FROM ARRAIGNMENT TO CASE DISPOSITION DECREASED BY 30 PERCENT AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNIT. SENTENCING WAS ALSO MORE SEVERE, WITH 72 PERCENT INVOLVING INCARCERATION, AS COMPARED WITH 36 PERCENT IN THE PRIOR YEAR. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT SCREENING CRITERIA AND PRACTICES SHOULD BE REVIEWED FOR THEIR ADEQUACY AND COMPATIBILITY WITH THE UNIT, RECORDKEEPING FUNCTIONS SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED, MORE EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON REPEAT OFFENDERS, AND THE UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE COMPUTER FACILITIES SHOULD BE INTENSIFIED AND EXPANDED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DEP)