IT IS NOTED THAT THE PROJECTS DESCRIBED IN THIS ANNUAL REPORT REFLECT THE CENTER'S STATUTORY MANDATE OF 'IMPROVED JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION IN THE COURTS OF THE UNITED STATES.' ACTIVITIES ARE DESCRIBED UNDER THE FOLLOWING MAJOR TOPICS: TRIAL COURT PROJECTS, SENTENCING AND PROBATION, APPELLATE COURT PROJECTS, OTHER PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF THE FEDERAL COURTS, COURTRAN (A COMPUTER SYSTEM TO ENHANCE COURT CASE-FLOW MANAGEMENT), CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, INTERJUDICIAL AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION SERVICES, CENTER PUBLICATIONS, AND HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERAL JUDICIAL CENTER. IT IS INDICATED THAT MANY OF THE PROJECTS DESCRIBED IN THE REPORT CONTINUE WORK REPORTED IN EARLIER YEARS, ALTHOUGH THERE IS MUCH NEW ACTIVITY. COURTRAN, THE MULTIPURPOSE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM THE CENTER IS DEVELOPING FOR BOTH COURT AND CASE MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH, IS CONSIDERED ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR IMPROVING COURT EFFICIENCY. FISCAL 1978'S EFFORTS ARE AIMED AT REFINING THE AUTOMATED CRIMINAL CASE-FLOW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM NOW OPERATING EXPERIMENTALLY IN 10 DISTRICT COURTS. STEPS WERE ALSO TAKEN TO BUILD THE CIVIL CASE-FLOW SYSTEM INTO THE NATIONAL NETWORK, AS WELL AS COMPLETE THE FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OF THE APPELLATE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. PLANS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1979 ARE ALSO INDICATED UNDER THE VARIOUS TOPIC AREAS. (RCB)