A recent assessment of national juvenile justice trends notes that juvenile justice has 'moved to a more formal, restrictive, and punitive system.' National data also show a decline in the number of juveniles at risk and the number arrested. Nassau County has experienced similar declines, and data on Family Division activities reflect a philosophy that emphasizes public safety combined with innovative rehabilitative efforts that serve community protection. In 1985, referrals to the Family Division intake unit (both juvenile offenders and status offenders) rose by 6.6 percent (2,254), but total juvenile petitions (1,201) fell by 5.1 percent for the seventh straight year. Juvenile delinquency investigative assignments (435) rose by 8.5 percent after 5 straight years of decline, but new status offender investigative assignments fell by 15.7 percent. The juvenile offender supervision caseload declined for the sixth straight year to 1,399. 24 tables and 20 notes.