It was determined that, in Initiative areas, some courts operated throughout the year without recourse to custodial sentences. Most other courts reserved custodial disposals for the most exceptional circumstances. Persistent and even serious offenders were normally managed without restricting liberty. The overall custody rate for 1987 was 9.3 percent for males between 14 and 16 years of age in Initiative areas. The use of care orders was below the national average in Initiative areas. The proportion of young people from ethnic minorities receiving care or custody rose in Initiative areas to 13.6 percent. Burglary continued to be the offense for which the largest proportion of males received custodial care. The proportion of males receiving custody and care on their first court appearance declined in 1987, standing at 16.2 percent after the first 6 months and at 13.5 percent by the end of the year. A total of 545 males and 29 females received court orders to attend Initiative projects during 1987, out of a total of 1,450 referrals. An appendix provides supplemental data on survey response rates. 21 tables