THE PROGRAM, TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME (TASC), WAS INTENDED TO REDUCE STREET CRIME THROUGH REDUCTIONS IN DRUG ABUSE. THE BUFFALO TASC PROGRAM FOLLOWED A TYPICAL PRETRIAL INTERVENTION MODEL BUT WAS LESS TRADITIONAL IN TERMS OF ITS FUNCTIONAL UNITS. THE UNITS INCLUDED A SCREENING UNIT, A COURT LIAISON SPECIALIST, A CASE MANAGEMENT UNIT, A TRACKING UNIT TO MONITOR CLIENT PROGRESS IN TREATMENT, AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT. THE EVALUATION FOCUSED MAINLY ON PROCESS DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO ANALYZED OUTCOMES AS SHOWN IN THE CLIENT DATA BASE. FINDINGS INDICATED THAT BUFFALO TASC INVOLVED DEFENDANTS WITH SERIOUS DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS, OFTEN WITH DEPRESSANTS. THE TASC CLIENTS IN ERIE COUNTY WERE NOT AS SERIOUSLY INVOLVED WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS WERE MOST TASC CLIENTS IN OTHER AGENCIES, BUT THE CONSERVATIVE NATURE OF THE ERIE COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INDICATED THAT MANY TASC CLIENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED IF TASC DID NOT EXIST. TASC CLIENTS WERE MAINLY YOUNG, MALE, BLACK, UNMARRIED, UNEMPLOYED, AND UNDEREDUCATED. THE PROGRAM HAD A REASONABLY HIGH SUCCESS RATE; CLIENTS GENERALLY ATTENDED ABOUT 25 TREATMENT SESSIONS OVER A 10-TO 12-MONTH PERIOD. THE PROGRAM MAINTAINED ADEQUATE QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES BUT NEEDS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS SERVED TO HAVE MORE IMPACT AND VISIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE ERIE COUNTY COURTS. TASC HAS BEEN ACTIVE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN THE MISDEMEANOR COURT; IT SHOULD TRY TO ENTER THE FELONY AREA ALSO. THE PROGRAM HAS POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH TREATMENT AGENCIES. CASE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINSTRATIVE COSTS HAVE BEEN HIGH. THE PROGRAM'S INFORMATION SYSTEM IS WELL-ORGANIZED. THE PROJECT'S MAIN STRENGTHS ARE ITS PROFESIONALISM, ITS STAFF, AND ITS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT. ITS MAJOR WEAKNESS IS THAT IT IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE DUE TO ITS LOW CLIENT CENSUS. COMPETITION FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM, LIMITED SOURCES OF REFERRALS, AND ABSENCE OF RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS LOW CENSUS. CLIENT CENSUS SHOULD BE CLOSELY MONITORED IN THE NEXT EVALUATION PERIOD. TABLES ARE INCLUDED.