After more than a decade of relative stability, the juvenile violent crime arrest rate soared some 38 percent between 1988 and 1991, and the rate at which teens commit murder increased by more than 50 percent. Still, among youths as among adults a small number of chronic offenders are responsible for much of the violence. In general, however, the younger the offender, the greater the possibilities for rehabilitation. Many States and the U.S. Congress apparently believe that a harsh and punitive response toward juvenile offenders is the appropriate policy. Some States have extended mandatory minimum sentencing to the juvenile justice system; some States have established boot camps to administer military-style discipline to adjudicate youths, but no national study has yet shown that they significantly improve outcomes for youth. A new report by the Human Rights Watch Children's Rights Project charges that children confined in Louisiana juvenile facilities have been physically abused by guards, inadequately fed and housed, kept in isolation for long periods, and improperly restrained with handcuffs. Many in the U.S. Congress have expressed their intention to defund prevention efforts, revoke protections for youth, and shift resources to the most punitive approaches. Still, a few States have taken a thoughtful approach to juvenile justice, as they have abandoned large training schools in favor of small, secure treatment programs and a mix of community-based options. Progressive juvenile courts and police departments use a mix of corrections, probation, and community-based intervention programs to deter young offenders from repeating their offenses.