The initial audience consists of the new countries of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but the information is also available to users worldwide who are involved in reforming the legislative process, strengthening legal institutions, and building civil society. The focal point is the home page on the World Wide Web. The home page links users to information, newsgroups, and mailing lists related to law and justice. ROL Online aims to increase knowledge on issues related to rule of law by creating a publicly accessible online repository of related materials, improve the technology used for the networked information discovery and retrieval, and enhance international cooperation in the exchange of justice information. These goals will be achieved through the building of the Rule of Law Online knowledge base, development of the Justice Navigator as a web browser, and other specific projects. ROL Online will create a new and accessible information repository; a new technology application; and, with other NIJ efforts, a new Internet-based international information infrastructure. ROL Online is a knowledge agent, as are the online information system used by NCJRS, NCJRS Online, or the United Nations Online Crime and Justice Clearinghouse.