The testimony outlines a restructuring of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act on the basis of various developments in the 1990's: the end of the parens patriae model of the juvenile court, a more punishment orientation on the part of juvenile courts, policy changes in the States which result in a large and increasing number of juveniles being tried as adults, and public support of changes in the legal processing of juveniles. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act should encourage State policymakers and juvenile justice professionals to develop and test alternatives to the juvenile court and elected public officials and others to implement strategies aimed at ensuring juveniles are represented by competent counsel. Some support exists for trying juveniles who commit felonies in the adult criminal courts, yet the public prefers juvenile offenders be managed and provided with services in the youth correction system and their tax dollars be spent on community-based programs rather than training schools and other residential services. 1 table and 1 reference