He notes that for more than two decades, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and the bipartisan principles on which it is founded have fundamentally changed the way society deals with troubled youth. Basic requirements of the law have included the deinstitutionalization of juvenile status offenders and nonoffenders, the separation of juvenile offenders from adult criminals in correctional settings, the removal of juvenile offenders from adult jails, and addressing the disproportionate confinement of minority juveniles. He also points out that juvenile justice systems are now renowned for their innovative community-based focus on prevention, rehabilitation, and accountability and that greater flexibility in the partnership between local and Federal government would improve the systems. He also recommends sharing information on family, education, and health matters that affect the future of youth; using proven programs to intervene in the developmental paths of at-risk youth and status offenders; and helping children who have been abused, abandoned, and neglected or are at risk of maltreatment. He urges a sustained public and private investment in families and communities and the systems that support them. Photograph