The history and development of the British juvenile court system have showed a checkered pattern. On one hand, the early development demonstrated a move toward welfare and treatment, while viewing juveniles as separate from adults in their needs and socialization process; however, as time passed, even the legislation designed to implement widespread change and reform in the juvenile court have had difficulty being accepted as practical. England has ideals, goals, and priorities for the juvenile justice system, but the policies and practices are apparently in disarray. Politics plays a major role, and the direction of the juvenile court is tied to the political interests of the party in power, sometimes at the expense of the juveniles involved in the system. The development of juvenile justice in England reflects an ongoing conflict between the welfare and punishment/control approaches. Currently, there is no way of predicting which approach will prevail and how juvenile justice philosophy in practice will reflect the interests of the party in power. 2 notes, 69 references, and appended directory of juvenile agencies