THE REPORT PRESENTS STATISTICS FOR 1977 AND PREVIOUS YEARS ON CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS (WILLFUL HOMICIDE, FORCIBLE RAPE, ROBBERY, ASSAULT), CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY (BURGLARY, THEFT, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT), AND STOLEN AND RECOVERED PROPERTY. ARREST DATA INCLUDE TOTAL ARRESTS, ADULT FELONY ARRESTS, ADULT MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS, JUVENILE ARRESTS, AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FELONY AND MISDEMEANOR ARRESTEES. THE 1-PERCENT INCREASE IN SERIOUS CRIME IN CALIFORNIA FROM 1976 TO 1977 IS LESS THAN THE 3.6-PERCENT INCREASE RECORDED FROM 1975 TO 1976. FORCIBLE RAPE AND WILLFUL HOMICIDE SHOWED THE LARGEST INCREASES FROM 1976 TO 1977 (UP 12.2 AND 12.1 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY). THEFT OF $200 AND OVER SHOWED THE LARGEST DECREASE (1.7 PERCENT). THERE WAS A DECREASE OF 0.7 PERCENT IN THE CRIME RATE (CRIME PER 100,000 POPULATION) FROM 1976 TO 1977. ARREST STATISTICS SHOW A PARTICULARLY LARGE DROP IN THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES ARRESTED FOR STATUS OFFENSES (A REFLECTION OF MODIFICATIONS IN THE THE JUVENILE COURT LAW). THE TOTAL ARREST RATE (ARRESTS PER 100,000 POPULATION) DECREASED 1.3 PERCENT FROM 1976 TO 1977. SECTIONS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND EXPENDITURES REPORT THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PERSONNEL INCREASED 3.0 PERCENT IN 1977 (1.9 PERCENT FOR SWORN PERSONNEL, AND 6.0 PERCENT FOR CIVILIANS), AND THAT TOTAL EXPENDITURES BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DURING FISCAL 1976-77 (STATE POLICE AND HIGHWAY PATROL, SHERIFFS' DEPARTMENTS, AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS) AMOUNTED TO OVER $1.4 BILLION, A 10.4-PERCENT INCREASE OVER FISCAL 1975-76. A GLOSSARY, TOGETHER WITH CRIME AND ARREST DATA FOR EACH COUNTY AND FOR THE 36 LARGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN THE STATE, IS APPENDED. PART II OF THE REPORT (SEE NCJ-51860) COVERS DISPOSITIONS, CORRECTIONS, AND PROBATION. (LKM)