The first part of the study analyzed the offending patterns and experiences in the criminal justice system of a sample of juvenile delinquents who had been arrested at least three times during 1992. The second part of the study attempted to identify characteristics of a smaller subgroup of persistent young offenders. The aim of the analysis was to determine whether this small group of persistent offenders accounted for a disproportionate amount of offenses committed by juveniles. The results suggest that there were no significant differences in terms of types of offenses committed between reoffenders and persistent offenders, but that persistent offenders' lives were characterized by their extremely chaotic nature. 1 figure and 2 references