DURING A 4-MONTH PERIOD IN 1977, THE PROB CONDUCTED ITS DRIVE TO REDUCE THE RATE OF SERIOUS CRIMES BY USING SPECIAL METHODS OF INTENSIFIED PROSECUTION. FOR THE EXPERIMENT, STAFF SCREENED OUT THOSE SPECIFIC CASES INVOLVING (1) MURDER OR ROBBERY OR BREAKING AND ENTERING OR ASSAULT AND (2) NAMING ACCUSED WHO HAD AT LEAST THREE PRIOR CONVICTIONS OR HAD ATTEMPTED TO COMMIT FELONIES. THE MOST ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF THE EXPERIMENT WAS THE CONTINUOUS HANDLING OF A CASE BY ONE PROSECUTOR FROM ITS INCEPTION, DOWN THROUGH THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE CRIMINAL PROCESS, AND TO ITS FINISH. IN THIS WAY, THE PROSECUTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CASE COULD BE PINPOINTED AND THE ATTORNEY COULD GET TO KNOW THE WITNESSES BETTER AND HANDLE THEM MORE EFFECTIVELY IN THE COURTROOM. THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY ALSO HAD MORE TIME ON THE CASE AND COULD PREPARE A MORE THOROUGH LEGAL PRESENTATION. DURING THE 4 MONTHS, THE PROB WON 88 PERCENT OF ITS TRIALS COMPARED WITH THE AVERAGE 55 PERCENT WHEN THE OFFICE WAS USING NORMAL METHODS. ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF THE DEFENDANTS RECEIVED PROBATION, AND THE REST RECEIVED LIFE TERMS OR SENTENCES FROM 12 TO 20 YEARS. THE EXPERIMENT SEEMED TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON WITNESSES (THEY WERE LESS CYNICAL AND MORE INVOLVED), ON POLICE (THEY SHOWED BETTER MORALE AND INTEREST IN CASES), AND ON THE VICTIMS (THEY SEEMED TO SHOW AN INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM.) RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THAT CAREER CRIMINAL CASES SHOULD BE ASSIGNED TO A SINGLE ATTORNEY AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE POINT IN TIME AND THAT AN APPELLATE ATTORNEY BE APPOINTED TO HANDLE ALL APPEALS ARISING FROM CAREER CRIMINAL CASES. FURTHERMORE, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF CAREER CRIMINAL CASES AND A NO-REDUCED PLEA POLICY FOR CAREER CRIMINALS. A LISTING OF REFERENCES IS NOT INCLUDED. (FCW)