Fifty-nine percent of all youths arrested, 73 percent of all youths detained, and 74 percent of all youths committed to the Texas Youth Commission in 1989 were members of minority groups. Hispanic youths are only slightly overrepresented, while overrepresentation of black youths is much greater. Incarcerated youths share several characteristics, including poverty, family violence and abuse, dropping out of school, drug abuse, and an inability to find or keep a job. Factors associated with the overrepresentation of minorities included the number of prior referrals, family living arrangements, and school status. The probation statistics also indicate a strong link between school attendance and crime involvement. The remedies suggested by these indicators include prevention efforts that begin with prenatal care and training to expectant mothers and include strong emphasis on early childhood education, efforts to make the juvenile justice system as unbiased as possible, increase funds for alternative placements in corrections, and personnel training regarding cultural differences. Appended figures, tables, definitions, and 11 references