The chapter begins with a discussion of the impetus for the first juvenile court in America, established in 1899 in Cook County, Illinois. It proceeds with a summary of the early surveys on the court's effectiveness and documentation of several critical problems, such as lack of suitable facilities for placement of juveniles, lack of financial support for hiring and in-service training of caseworkers and probation officers, the heavy burden and numerous cases placed on juvenile court judges, and due process safeguards to protect the rights of juveniles. The chapter also discusses the early development of juvenile probation, child guidance clinics and the juvenile courts, and juvenile court policies. The chapter cites progress made in the past decade toward more equitable and humane treatment of juveniles. The chapter includes discussion questions based on the information presented. References