GROWING EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT RECIDIVISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF SERIOUS CRIME AND THAT THEY SOMETIMES AVOID PENALTIES AFTER ARREST THROUGH DELAYED COURT PROCEEDINGS, PLEA BARGAINING, AND 'JUDGE SHOPPING.' IN 1974, LEAA BEGAN FUNDING THE CAREER CRIMINAL PROSECUTION PROGRAM (CCP) TO ENABLE PROSECUTORS TO DEVOTE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH TARGETED CRIMES. BY 1978, CCP PROSECUTION UNITS HAD PROSECUTED OVER 7,500 DEFENDANTS, WITH A CONVICTION RATE OF 83 PERCENT. SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED IN JURISDICTIONS WITH CCP UNITS, POLICE AGENCIES IN LEAA'S INTEGRATED CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM AND MANAGING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS PROGRAM, AND AMONG DIRECTORS OF PAROLE AND CORRECTIONS ADMINISTRATORS IN MOST STATES TO ASSESS CRIMINAL CAREER PROGRAMS SYSTEMWIDE. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT EFFORTS TAKEN AGAINST CAREER CRIMINALS ARE BROADENING AND INTENSIFYING IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT SOMEWHAT UNEVENLY. VARIOUS ISSUES SEEM TO SHAPE AND LIMIT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES WITHIN VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE SYSTEM; E.G., POLICE AGENCIES QUESTION HOW PROACTIVE THEY SHOULD BE AGAINST KNOWN CAREER CRIMINALS ON THE STREETS, AND PROSECUTORS MUST BALANCE THE BREADTH OF THE CAREER CRIMINAL DEFINITION AGAINST SPECIAL PROSECUTIONS RESOURCES. THE INFORMATION EXCHANGE ABOUT CAREER CRIMINALS IS INADEQUATE, EVEN AMONG AGENCIES WITHIN THE SAME JURISDICTION. THE SURVEY ALSO DISCLOSED CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT CAREER CRIMINALS: THEY BEGIN THEIR CAREER AT 14 YEARS OF AGE, ARE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL, ARE MOTIVATED BY EXCITEMENT MORE THAN BY ECONOMIC NEED, OPERATE OVER AN AREA LARGER THAN A SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD OR CITY, AND THEIR OFFENSE RATES DECLINE WITH AGE WHILE THEIR INCARCERATION RATES INCREASE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)