THE PURPOSE OF THE GUIDELINES IS TO INDICATE AVAILABLE FUNDING, CRITERIA BY WHICH SUBSEQUENT GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR (CDS) COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT FROM PARTICIPATING STATES WILL BE EVALUATED, AND THE NATURE OF THE PROGRAM. THE GUIDELINES APPLY TO ALL CDS ACTION PLANS AND CDS COMPONENT GRANT APPLICATIONS. THE CDS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE EACH STATE TO DEVELOP AN INFORMATION SYSTEM TO MEET ITS OWN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA NEEDS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, TO INSURE UNIFORMITY OF ESSENTIAL DATA REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL. THE GUIDELINES PRESENT THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND CRITERIA EXPECTED BY LEAA FROM PARTICIPATING STATES; THEY ARE FLEXIBLE, BUT REQUESTS FOR DEVIATION MUST BE SUPPORTED BY REASONABLE EXPLANATION AND JUSTIFICATION. THE MANUAL DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN WHAT IS REQUIRED AND WHAT IS OPTIONAL BY THE KIND OF LANGUAGE USED IN THE TEXT. IT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR BASIC PARTS, AND INCLUDES CDS BACKGROUND AND GENERAL INFORMATION. FINALLY, GRANT APPLICATION PREPARATION FOR EACH OF THE THREE CDS COMPONENTS IS PRESENTED IN DETAIL. EXCEPT WHERE THEY CONFLICT, WITH SPECIFIC GUIDELINES APPEARING IN THE MANUAL, STATE CDS COMPONENTS REFLECT THE STANDARDS CONTAINED IN THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING HANDBOOK, THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER OPERATING MANUAL, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REGULATIONS ON SECURITY AND PRIVACY CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEMS, 28 CFR PART 20. OTHER DOCUMENTS WHICH PROVIDE USEFUL BACKGROUND ON IMPLEMENTATION ARE CITED. AN APPENDIX IS INCLUDED WITH THE GUIDELINE MANUAL. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)