The study analyzed recidivism patterns among a sample of 33,900 juvenile offenders brought before the New South Wales Children's Court between 1982 and 1986. The analysis was conducted in two parts. The first part examined whether it is possible to identify, in advance, those juveniles who are likely to reappear in court numerous times rather than just a few times. The second part attempts to identify the most cost-effective point in a juvenile criminal career at which to introduce strategies designed to reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Two findings from the analysis are of particular significance for the development of juvenile justice policy. Contrary to popular opinion, the majority of young offenders brought to court have only one contact with the juvenile justice system before apparently stopping their offending. The study also found that it is more cost- effective to intervene with a therapeutic regime after a juvenile has had several court appearances than at the first sign of delinquent behavior. The less effective an intervention is in reducing the rate of reappearance in court, the later it must be introduced to be cost-effective. 13 tables, 35 notes, and 33 references