MANY THEORETICIANS ARGUE THAT THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ANTAGONISTIC BECAUSE EACH HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF GOALS AND PERCEPTIONS. TRAINING PROGRAMS FOSTER THIS PAROCHIALISM, AND INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES SELDOM CONFER ON COMMON PROBLEMS. CONFLICTS ARE COMPOUNDED BY COMPETITION FOR FUNDS AND POLITICAL BOUNDARIES. POLICE ARE FUNDED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEREAS JUDGES AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES MAY BE ANSWERABLE TO STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. HOSTILE RELATIONSHIPS CAN DEVELOP BETWEEN POLICE AND THE COURTS OVER TECHNICAL RULES CONCERNING EVIDENCE AND ILLUSTRATE THE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE FUNCTIONS OF MAINTAINING ORDER AND UPHOLDING THE LAW. CIVIL RIGHTS DECISIONS BY THE SUPREME COURT REGARDING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS IN COURTS HAVE HAMPERED LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IN COMBATTING CRIME AND HAVE AGGRAVATED CONFLICTS BETWEEN POLICE AND THE COURTS. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH SEGREGATES AGENCIES ACCORDING TO FUNCTIONS INHIBITS INTERDEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION. THE ARTICLE PROPOSES AN ALTERNATIVE, THE COMMUNITY JUSTICE CENTER. IN THIS CENTRALIZED FACILITY, POLICIES WOULD BE ESTABLISHED BY COMMITTEES COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL AGENCIES AND OVERSEEN BY A DIRECTOR. ALL PERSONNEL WOULD RECEIVE TRAINING IN VARIOUS AREAS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE INCLUDING INNOVATIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS, RECENT COURT RULINGS, AND NEW CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES. DECISIONS MADE BY EACH COMPONENT WOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO ALL DEPARTMENTS. A PILOT PROGRAM COULD BE ESTABLISHED IN A COMMUNITY OF BETWEEN 100,000 AND 250,000 PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH THE CENTER CONCEPT SHOULD ALSO WORK WELL IN SMALL COMMUNITIES. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (MJM)