DURING 1978, THE CRIMINAL DIVISION CONTINUED THE OPERATION OF SPECIALLY ORGANIZED UNITS. THE UNIT HANDLING RAPE AND OTHER CRIMES OF VIOLENCE INVOLVING WOMEN AND CHILDREN WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL AND OBTAINED 28 RAPE CONVICTIONS. IN 1978, A TOTAL OF 1,852 FELONY CRIMINAL CHARGES; 2,803 MISDEMEANOR CHARGES; AND 36,903 TRAFFIC CHARGES WERE FILED. THE NEW JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT TOOK EFFECT ON JULY 1, 1978, IMPOSING A GREATER STATUTORY BURDEN ON THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND THE ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. STAFFS WERE INCREASED ACCORDINGLY. THE FAMILY SUPPORT DIVISION ENTERED INTO ANOTHER COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH THE OFFICE OF SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES. AS A RESULT, THE COUNTY RECEIVED A TOTAL OF $124,664 FROM STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS FOR WORK IN THIS AREA. DURING 1978, THE BUSINESS FRAUD AND STOLEN PROPERTY DIVISION WAS MOST SUCCESSFUL, HANDLING A TOTAL OF 605 COMPLAINTS REPRESENTING LARGE ECONOMIC LOSSES. IN ADDITION, THE PRECHARGE INTERVENTION PROGRAM HANDLED 638 CASES, 393 OF WHICH WERE MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES. THIS PROGRAM HAS RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS FOR THE COUNTY THROUGH ITS DIVERSION OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES OUT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. ALSO, A VICTIM/WITNESS ASSISTANCE SERVICE WAS FORMALLY ESTABLISHED IN 1978. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE THE BURDEN AND TRAUMA OF CRIME AGAINST VICTIMS AND WITNESSES. NEARLY 1,400 SUCH PERSONS WERE APPRISED OF STATUS IN PARTICULAR CASES AS THEY PROGRESSED THROUGH THE SYSTEM. SERVICES SUCH AS CRISIS INTERVENTION, AGENCY REFERRAL, AND RESTITUTION ASSISTANCE WERE ALSO PROVIDED. THE CIVIL DIVISION CONTINUED TO ACT AS LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND NUMEROUS INDEPENDENT BOARDS. PLANNING, ADMINISTRATION, AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES WERE PROVIDED BY THIS OFFICE. TABULAR STATISTICAL DATA COMPRISES THE BULK OF THE ANNUAL REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM).