THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE CREATION OF LEAA AS PART OF THE 1968 OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT AND THE CHANGING ADMINISTRATION OF LEAA. LEAA'S RESTRUCTURING INVOLVES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ANTI-CRIME PROGRAMS, IMPROVEMENT OF STATE JUDICIAL SYSTEMS, EVALUATION AND MONITORING PROCEDURES, AND STRENGTHENED JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PROGRAMS AND CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE REPORT GIVES RESULTS OF A 1979 NATIONWIDE TELEPHONE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES IN WHICH REPRESENTATIVES OF 59 MAJOR U.S. CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 250,000 OR MORE PARTICIPATED. EACH CITY HAD RECEIVED SEED MONEY FROM LEAA TO DEVELOP ONE OF A VARIETY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROJECTS. TYPES OF PROJECTS INCLUDED, BUT WERE NOT LIMITED TO, THE PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, THE INTEGRATED CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM, THE CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM, AND 'STING' OPERATIONS. LOCAL PLANNERS WERE ASKED ABOUT OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AND ABOUT LEAA'S IMPACT ON SEVERAL AREAS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, SUCH AS ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION AND ADJUDICATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE TRAINING AND EDUCATION, IMPROVED RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND BALANCE, AND MORE. THE MAJORITY OF THOSE QUESTIONED (38) FELT THAT LEAA HAD MADE ITS GREATEST CONTRIBUTION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING AND THE FORMATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCILS. ITS INFLUENCE WAS STRONG IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND TRAINING PROGRAMS BUT LESS DIRECT IN POLICE SAFETY. PLANNERS ALSO CITED BENEFITS FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCILS, FROM FUNDING OF NEW INNOVATIVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS), FROM AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING FOR POLICE OFFICERS, AND FROM ESTABLISHMENT OF GUIDELINES AND RESOURCES FOR CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT. SUGGESTED CHANGES INCLUDED COHERENT, CONSISTENT PROGRAM GUIDANCE AT FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS; A STRONGER ROLE FOR LOCAL JURISDICTION IN LEAA PROGRAMS; STRONGER CITY-FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP; AND IMPROVED PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR LOCAL PLANNING. QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS AND THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT ARE INCLUDED. (AOP)