THE PROJECT STAFF REVIEWED THE OPERATION OF DEFENDER OFFICES AND IDENTIFIED AND ANALYZED THE TYPES OF COSTS AND BENEFITS WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS'S) WITHIN SUCH OFFICES. THE COSTS INVOLVED, WHICH ARE DETAILED IN THIS REPORT, INCLUDE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT, HARDWARE PURCHASE, TRANSFER COST, THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF ANY MIS, AND PERSONNEL. IN ADDITION, THE COST BENEFIT OF VARIOUS SYSTEMS DEPENDS TO SOME DEGREE ON THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF OFFICE OPERATIONS. TELEPHONE SURVEYS AND SITE VISITS TO PUBLIC DEFENDERS' OFFICES, USED IN A MARKET ANALYSIS OF SEVERAL MIS'S, REVEALED THAT VIRTUALLY NO PUBLIC DEFENDER IN THE COUNTRY IS IN THE POSITION TO FUND EVEN A MINIMAL AUTOMATED MIS WITHOUT OUTSIDE FUNDING FROM LEAA OR OTHER SOURCES. DESPITE THIS, THE SURVEY POINTED OUT A SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR AN MIS--WHETHER MANUAL OR AUTOMATED. ALTHOUGH DEFENDERS ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO ABSORB THE LONG-TERM COSTS OF AN AUTOMATED MIS, THEY COULD IMPLEMENT A BROADLY BASED MANUAL SYSTEM WITH LITTLE OR NO OUTSIDE CONSULTANT COST. OVERALL, STUDY CONCLUSIONS POINT TO THE NEED FOR INCREASED UNDERSTANDING BY DEFENDERS OF THE VALUE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS. FOUR INTERRELATED RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE, RANGING FROM A MANUAL SYSTEM TO SOPHISTICATED MICROCOMPUTER TECHNOLOGY, EACH EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR FUNDING SUPPORT. SUGGESTIONS FOR DEFENDERS INTENDING TO AUTOMATE ARE INCLUDED, AND NOTES FROM THE MARKET SURVEY ARE APPENDED. A CHART AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED.