IT IS NOTED THAT ACTUAL POLICE STRENGTH DECREASED DURING THE YEAR WHILE CRIME AND DISORDER CONTINUED TO ESCALATE. RECRUITS WERE 376 FEWER THAN IN 1975 AND 340 MORE, GIVING A NET LOSS DURING THE YEAR OF 59 OFFICERS. FACED WITH SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF VACANCIES FOR WHICH MEN ARE NOT APPLYING, CHIEF CONSTABLES ARE INCREASING THEIR INTAKE OF WOMEN; THERE ARE NOW 159 MORE FEMALE STAFF THAN THE NUMBER AUTHORIZED FOR SCOTLAND IN 1975, WHEN SEPARATE POLICEWOMEN AGENCIES DISAPPEARED WITH THE ENACTMENT OF THE SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT, 1975. POOR PAY IS CITED AS ONE OF THE FACTORS IN THE RECRUITMENT AND TURNOVER PROBLEM. A MATTER AFFECTING THE WORK OF DETECTIVES IS THE GROWING DEMAND ON POLICE TIME CAUSED BY THE GREATER USE OF LEGAL AID. IT IS COMMON TO FIND ATTENDANCE AT COURT SO DEPLETING POLICE STRENGTH THAT NORMAL STREET AND INVESTIGATIVE DUTIES ARE SUFFERING. DURING 1976, CRIME CLASSES I-VI (SERIOUS CRIMES) INCREASED BY ABOUT 14 PERCENT. THE CLEARANCE RATE FOR CLASS I CRIMES (MURDER, ATTEMPTED MURDER, RAPE, AND OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON) WAS 74 PERCENT IN 1976. EFFORTS TO IMPROVE POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS ARE INDICATED. ONE COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM DEVELOPED INVOLVES TEACHING PUPILS IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ABOUT THE CAUSES AND THE PREVENTION OF CRIME. TRAFFIC AND ROAD ACCIDENTS CONTINUE TO MAKE HEAVY DEMANDS ON POLICE MANPOWER. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1972, AN INCREASE HAS OCCURRED IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ROAD CASUALTIES IN SCOTLAND. TABULAR DATA IS PROVIDED. (RCB)