The discussion notes that laws and mechanisms to deal with juvenile delinquents and youthful offenders in Australia vary across States and territories. These differences influence not only the numbers of juveniles processed but also the ways the systems address juvenile delinquency. The statistics reveal that juvenile males have the highest rates of arrest for all property offense categories except for fraud, followed by adult males. Juveniles are arrested at higher rates than adults for violence offenses such as common assault and robbery, at lower rates for homicide, and at similar rates for serious assault. The rate of detention for youth decreased during 1981-85, remained stable from 1986-92, and increased from 1993 on. Males ages 10-17 years are more likely than females to be detained in juvenile correctional institutions. The proportion of youth in the general population is currently at its lowest level and will continue to decline to the year 2041. Figures, tables, and 25 references