DATA WERE COLLECTED FOR THIS STUDY BY MEANS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY OF 1,563 CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES IN THE AREAS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION, DEFENSE, PROBATION/PAROLE, COURTS, CORRECTIONS, AND STATE CENTERS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE SOLICITED INFORMATION ON THE USE, EXTENT, AND MANAGEMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA IN EACH AGENCY. THE OVERALL RESPONSE RATE FOR THE SURVEY WAS 31.2 PERCENT. THIS RATE WAS INCREASED TO 36.1 PERCENT AFTER THE SAMPLE WAS REVIEWED TO ENSURE THAT EACH AGENCY DEALT WITH CRIMINAL HISTORIES. BASED ON THE DATA COLLECTED AND ANALYSIS PERFORMED DURING THE STUDY, FOUR MAJOR CONCLUSIONS WERE DRAWN, FIRST, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD IS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF INFORMATION VITAL TO EXERCISING DISCRETION AND MAKING DECISIONS CONCERNING INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. SECOND, THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT THE EXISTING CRIMINAL HISTORY SYSTEM IS INCAPABLE OF SATISFYING THE DATA DEMANDS AND TIMELINESS REQUIREMENTS BEING PLACED ON IT. THE THIRD CONCLUSION STATED THAT GROWTH TRENDS AND USAGE PATTERNS INDICATE THAT THIS CONDITION WILL WORSEN IN THE FUTURE, AND THAT THE PRESENT CRIMINAL HISTORY SYSTEM CONFIGURATION MAY BECOME UNMANAGEABLE. FINALLY, THE STUDY FOUND THAT A NATIONAL COMPUTERIZED CRIMINAL HISTORY (CCH) SYSTEM OFFERS THE POTENTIAL FOR MAKING THE SYSTEM MANAGEABLE. THEREBY ALLEVIATING MANY PRESENT AND PROJECTED PROBLEMS. SAMPLE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS AND STATISTICAL TABLES LISTING SURVEY RESULTS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)