THE TECHNIQUE USED FOR DATA GATHERING AND ANALYSIS WAS THE CRIME ANALYSIS PROJECT EVALUATION RESEARCH (CAPER) TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED BY THE SANTA CLARA CRIMINAL JUSTICE PILOT PROGRAM. CAPER IS BASED ON THE CODING OF KEY DATA ELEMENTS OBTAINED FROM POLICE OFFENSE REPORTS AND A CROSS-SORTING OF CODED DATA INTO CATEGORIES. THROUGH THIS SYSTEM, TOTALS ARE PUT INTO TABLES AND ANALYZED FOR PATTERNS, SIMILARITIES, OR UNUSUAL FREQUENCIES. DATA ELEMENTS GATHERED AND ANALYZED INCLUDE THE LOCATION, HOUR, DAY, AND MONTH OF THE CRIME; TYPE OF WEAPON, IF ANY; VICTIM/OFFENDER ETHNIC GROUP; DOLLAR LOSS; AND VIOLENCE, IF ANY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...MSP