IN 1978, THE SEVEN MAJOR OFFENSES INCREASED 6.6 PERCENT OVER THE PRIOR YEAR IN CALIFORNIA, REPRESENTING THE LARGEST ANNUAL INCREASE SINCE 1975. THESE OFFENSES INCLUDE WILLFUL HOMICIDE, FORCIBLE RAPE, ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, BURGLARY, THEFT OF MERCHANDISE VALUED AT $200.00 AND OVER, AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT. THEFT AND ROBBERY SHOWED THE LARGEST INCREASES, UP 10.5 PERCENT AND 9.2 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY. CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS REPRESENTED ONLY 16.8 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL OFFENSES COMMITTED; THE NUMBER OF CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS INCREASED 7.8 PERCENT OVER 1977. CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY ACCOUNTED FOR 83.2 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL OFFENSES COMMITTED; THEY INCREASED 6.4 PERCENT OVER 1977. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ARRESTS FOR BOTH ADULTS AND JUVENILES DECREASED 1.5 PERCENT FROM 1977 TO 1978. WHILE THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE OF 0.5 PERCENT IN ADULT ARRESTS, IT WAS OFFSET BY AN 8.7 PERCENT DROP IN JUVENILE ARRESTS. OF THE TOTAL ADULT FELONY ARRESTS FOR 1978, 24.8 PERCENT WERE FOR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS, 41.3 PERCENT FOR CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY, AND 21.0 PERCENT FOR DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS; THE REMAINING 13.0 PERCENT WERE FOR SEX LAW VIOLATIONS AND 'ALL OTHER' OFFENSES. THE MARKED DECLINE IN THE OVERALL JUVENILE ARRESTS RATE SINCE 1975 IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO DIVERSION OF JUVENILES ARRESTED FOR DELINQUENT TENDENCIES FROM THE FORMAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. TABULAR STATISTICAL DATA, CHARTS, AND GRAPHS COMPRISE THE MAJORITY OF THE REPORT. (LWM)