THE VOLUME, WHICH WAS COMPILED BY THE RESEARCH DIVISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY, IS INTENDED AS A BASIC REFERENCE IN AUSTRALIAN CRIMINOLOGY. IT OFFERS A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE FUNCTION IN AUSTRALIA, WITH A VIEW TO THE PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE COUNTRY'S DISPARATE STATE ORIGINS. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS ARE FOLLOWED BY CHAPTERS ON CRIME RATES, AUSTRALIAN POLICE FORCES, THE CRIMINAL COURTS, PRISONS AND PRISONERS, ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT, ABORIGINES AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH, AND THE FUTURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AUSTRALIA. A READING LIST CITING SELECTED AUSTRALIAN CRIMINOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS IS PROVIDED, TOGETHER WITH AN INDEX. FOR SEPARATE ABSTRACTS OF THE CHAPTERS, SEE NCJ-50970-50978. (LKM)