IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION DURING 1977, THE CIRCLE PROJECT HAS ESTABLISHED THE BASIC FRAMEWORK REQUIRED FOR A CENTRALIZED AND COST-EFFECTIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SERVICE. IT HAS DONE THIS BY FORMULATING POLICIES THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY TO UTILIZE THE LARGE COMPUTER INSTALLATION AND EXPERTISE AT THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESOURCE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN WIDENING THE FOCUS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMPUTER SYSTEM ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE NOT ONLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUT ALSO DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PROBATION. TO ENABLE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S COMPUTER INSTALLATION TO BE EMPLOYED AS A CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESOURCE AND TO PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR ADEQUATE FUNDING IN THE FUTURE, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SUBCOMMITTEE TO DEVELOP AND RECOMMEND POLICIES IN THIS AREA. THE SUBCOMMITTEE WAS CHARGED WITH DEVISING A FORMULA FOR SHARING THE COMPUTER FACILITY'S COST IN AN EQUITABLE AND FAIR MANNER BETWEEN ALL FACILITY USERS. SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT CHARACTERIZED THE PROJECT IN ITS ROLE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM COORDINATING MECHANISM RELATE TO PRIVACY AND SECURITY, STATE COMPUTER INTERFACES, A PROPOSED CONCEPT FOR A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION CONCERNED WITH METROPOLITAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS, POLICE ARRESTS AND CASELOADS, PROBATION, VICTIM/WITNESS ASSISTANCE, COURTS, CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES AND SERVICES, AND THE PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS). ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR 1978 ARE NOTED. (DEP)