PROJECT CIRCLE INVOLVED THE DESIGN OF AN IDEAL INFORMATION SYSTEM FROM WHICH THE MORE PRACTICAL SYSTEM COULD BE DERIVED. DESIGN PROCEEDED IN THREE STAGES OVER A 9-MONTH PERIOD. IN STAGE 1, AN IDEAL SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE-OF-THE-ART AND IN WHICH COST WAS NOT CONSIDERED A FACTOR, WHICH WOULD SATISFY ALL CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS. STAGE 2 INVOLVED THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESSIVELY LESS COSTLY ALTERNATIVES TO THE IDEAL SYSTEM. STAGE 3, INVOLVED THE SELECTION OF THE ACTUAL SYSTEM TO BE IMPLEMENTED. THE SYSTEM SELECTED CONSISTED OF EIGHT SUBSYSTEMS: COMMAND AND CONTROL, PERSONS OF INTERESTS, OFFENSE REPORTING, FINGERPRINT IDENTIFICATION, MODUS OPERANDI, AND ACTIVE AND INACTIVE SUBJECT-IN-PROCESS CASES. A CHART DEPICTING SUBSYSTEMS FILES AND INTERFACES, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL TO THE SYSTEM, IS PROVIDED. A LISTING OF BENEFITS ANTICIPATED FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CIRCLE AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THESE BENEFITS WOULD BE ACHIEVED IS PRESENTED. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS INCLUDED IMPROVED CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS, INCREASED OFFICER SAFETY, IMPROVED RESOURCE ALLOCATION, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, IMPROVED PROSECUTORIAL EFFICIENCY IN CASE HANDLING, PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF ACCUSED, INFORMTATION SECURITY, REDUCTION IN REDUNDANCY OF INFORMATION COLLECTION, COORDINATION OF MULTILEVEL AGENCY EFFORTS BOTH AREA- AND SYSTEM-WIDE, AND IMPROVED REHABILITATION POTENTIAL FOR CONVICTED OFFENDERS. OBSTACLES TO IMPLEMENTATION AT THE TIME OF WRITING ARE BRIEFLY ELUCIDATED. APPENDED INFORMATION INCLUDES A PARTIAL LISTING OF AGENCIES (POLICE, PROSECUTORIAL UNITS, CORRECTIONAL UNITS, AND COURTS) PARTICIPATING IN THE CIRCLE PROJECT AND AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF 53 COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS IDENTIFIED DURING THE DESIGN OF THE IDEAL SYSTEM. (JAP)