Citizen efforts led to the establishment of the Juvenile Court of Cook County, the Nation's first juvenile court, and the passage of the Illinois Juvenile Court Act in 1899. In subsequent years, citizen groups helped plan the Cook County Detention Home, prompted a study of detention intake practices, and were active in other ways. In 1961, criticisms of the Chicago juvenile court led to the judiciary's appointment of an independent citizen's committee and the hiring of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) to study the court's operations. The citizen's committee endorsed the NCCD report, which was issued a year later, and many of its recommendations were implemented. In the 1970's concerns about the handling of detained children led to the expansion of the responsibilities of the citizen's committee. As a result, the committee has created several specialized subcommittees and has accumulated an impressive record of accomplishments. Results suggest the desirability of developing a broader understanding of citizen involvement in the criminal justice system. 20 reference notes.