FUNDING FOR THE UNIT WAS APPROVED IN APRIL, 1976. IT HAS BEEN IN FULL OPERATION FOR 16 MONTHS WHEN THIS EVALUATION WAS MADE. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE HIRING AND TRAINING OF STAFF, AND THE PLANNING OF A SURVEY OF WITNESS NEEDS AND PROBLEMS. BECAUSE THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS RECORDS OF TRIAL DELAYS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF WITNESSES TO SHOW UP, THE PROJECT COULD NOT DOCUMENT ITS EFFECTIVENESS STATISTICALLY. THREE OF THE FIVE DEPUTIES IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE STATED THAT THEY USED PROJECT SERVICES ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WHILE TWO PREFERRED TO HANDLE THEIR OWN WITNESS NOTIFICATION. ALL CITED THE PROJECT'S AID IN VERIFYING ADDRESSES OF WITNESSES AND AN INCREASE IN NUMER OF WITNESSES WHO APPEARED ON TIME. POLICE AGENCIES SAID THE PROJECT HAD REDUCED NEEDLESS APPEARANCES OF POLICE OFFICERS IN COURT. ATTORNEY STAFFS SAID THE PROJECT HELPED REDUCE CLERICAL TIME SPENT TRACKING DOWN AND NOTIFYING WITNESSES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROJECT BE REFUNDED AND THAT BETTER RECORDS BE KEPT. IT WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT A NEW EVALUATION DESIGN BE DEVELOPED, THAT THE UNIT IMMEDIATELY EXTEND ITS NOTIFICATION SERVICES TO INCLUDE MOST, IF NOT ALL CASES, HANDLED BY THE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT A CONSISTENT WITNESS ASSISTANCE COMPONENT BE IMPLEMENTED. A RESPONSE BY THE PROJECT DIRECTOR TO CRITICISMS IN THE REPORT IS APPENDED. FOOTNOTES CONTAIN REFERENCES. (GLR)