Following a historical review of the emergence and transformation of juvenile justice, an overview of the juvenile justice system's structure and operation is presented. The model of case processing used in many States indicates that police officers account for about 75 percent of all case referrals to the juvenile court. Remaining cases come to court via school authorities, social welfare agencies, and parents. Crimes against persons or property account for 56 percent of total referrals. Offenses against public order account for 18 percent of all referrals, status offenses 21 percent, and drug offenses 5 percent. The legal context of juvenile justice is discussed as well as the issue of societal consensus on juvenile justice system goals with respect to prevention, education, and treatment. The paper also examines the attributes of adolescents served by the juvenile justice system, characteristics of juvenile delinquency cases and status offenders, adolescents with special needs, and trends in adolescent crime and juvenile justice. Consideration is given to the overrepresentation of minority adolescents in the juvenile justice system, female offenders, the effectiveness of juvenile justice interventions, and costs of juvenile justice. Several policy and program models to improve the juvenile justice system are offered that focus on removing children from jails, case management, and other innovative juvenile justice programs. The importance of a strong Federal role in juvenile justice is stressed, along with the need to protect the legal rights of adolescents. 133 references, 13 endnotes, 3 tables, and 8 figures