All of Florida's level 8 programs provide residential care for serious offenders at a high level of security. Through a variety of treatment modalities, these programs attempt to reduce delinquent acts. In level 8 programs, there were 1,571 committed youths served during 1993-94. The average age of such juveniles was 15.5 years old. Males composed 96.1 percent of the population, and African-Americans, 63.6 percent. Statewide, the average daily population was 540.3 juveniles. The average length of stay was 5.1 months, and the average age at first delinquency referral was 12.4 years; the average age at discharge was 16.5 years old. Only 21.2 percent of the juveniles were admitted as first commitment; 66.3 percent were recommitments, and 12.6 percent were transfers. The statewide percentage of felonies as the committing offense was 91.9 percent. The average number of prior felony referrals was 14.3, and the average number of prior felony adjudications was 8.2. Slightly over 56 percent of the youth released had successfully completed their programs. Follow- up of further involvement with the juvenile justice system or adult system shows that the subsequent adjudication rate for juveniles 1 year after release was 37.6 percent. The subsequent commitment rate to either the Department of Juvenile Justice or the Department of Corrections 1 year following release was 29.2 percent. Total costs for level 8 programs were $31,275,173. 11 tables and 19 charts