National statistics consistently show extensive overcrowding in juvenile detention and a misuse of secure detention, along with significant geographical disparities in the rate of detention use. These trends should be viewed with alarm because of the cost of detention, the harmful effects on the detained youths, and the increased use of detention for youth awaiting placement in commitment programs after adjudication. A basic strategy for juvenile detention reform is to reserve detention for those who pose a high risk to public safety; develop ways to assess accurately the degree of risk an individual juvenile presents; develop less costly and less restrictive alternatives for the lower-risk youths; and closely monitor and evaluate the new detention practices and policies. These methods have been applied in some jurisdictions with promising results. A 19-item bibliography