Eighty percent of those cautioned in 1985 had no previous criminal histories, although this figure fell to 75 percent in 1988 and 66 percent in 1991. The proportion of juveniles cautioned decreased from 80 percent in 1985 and 66 percent in 1988 to under 50 percent in 1991. Males cautioned were twice as likely as females to have previous criminal histories. About one in 10 individuals were convicted of a standard list offense within 1 year of the caution. About 85 percent of those cautioned in 1985 and 1988 were not convicted of a standard list offense within 2 years of the caution; 72 percent of the 1985 sample had not been convicted within 5 years. Young adults with no previous convictions who committed theft and violent offenses were less likely to be convicted within 5 years if they were cautioned rather than convicted. Those previously convicted were over three times as likely to be convicted again as those with no past criminal histories. In 1991, Asian males cautioned (76 percent) were more likely than European males (63 percent) to have no past criminal histories. 6 references, 19 tables, and 5 figures