Aboriginal youth themselves who have been through the criminal justice system have rarely been questioned about how they see their world and what has happened to them. Incarceration separates them from their families and communities and can lead to dislocation and depression. One survey of 50 aboriginal juveniles incarcerated in New South Wales revealed that many aboriginal children felt they had never been treated fairly. Many experienced racism at school from both nonaboriginal children and teachers. The lack of support systems for aboriginal children often resulted in trouble with the police who were perceived to be harassing and intimidating. Of the 50 children, 31 reported negative experiences with white people. Eight of the 50 had been homeless, leaving their communities to escape racism and other pressures. The employment experience of those surveyed showed diverse work experience; 14 admitted stealing money to survive. With respect to court cases, 20 thought their trials had been fair and 13 held the opposite view. The experience of juvenile detention centers varied according to center and aboriginal juvenile needs. Of 24 youth with drug and alcohol problems, only 13 received counseling as part of their detention program. Counseling of a more general nature to help aboriginal juveniles deal with their problems in the larger community was only offered to eight of the 50 surveyed. Over 80 percent of those incarcerated were sentenced for theft or petty theft offenses. Recommendations are offered to prevent crime by aboriginal youth and to provide alternatives to incarceration. 8 references