NOTING THAT THE LEAA HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF CONTROVERSY SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1968, THE PREREQUISITES FOR SUCCESS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE MISSING ELEMENT IN SUCH PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF HORIZONTAL 'SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM ORIENTATION' AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WHICH CUTS ACROSS POLICE, COURTS, CORRECTIONS, AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. FURTHER, IT IS ARGUED THAT THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF LEAA SHOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS PERSPECTIVE AND THAT THE AGENCY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CARRY OUT ITS PROMISE OF FEDERAL LEADERSHIP IN THIS REGARD BECAUSE OF ITS STATUTORY STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES. THE PRIMARY WEAKNESSES OF THE EXISTING LEAA STRUCTURE ARE OUTLINED, AND SEVERAL CHANGES IN THE AGENCY'S LEGISLATIVE STRUCTURE ARE ADVOCATED TO CREATE A SYSTEMATIC PERSPECTIVE BY REORIENTING THE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE DELIVERY MECHANISM AWAY FROM THE STATE LEVEL AND TOWARD THE LOCAL LEVEL. NO REFERENCES ARE CITED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KBL)