There has been a substantial growth, over the past 10 years, in the number of delinquent acts and the number of delinquents involved in formal systems of social control. In Central and Eastern Europe there is particular concern about increased numbers of crimes of violence. Offenders begin their offending careers earlier, more girls are involved in offending, and offending increases clearly are linked to social, economic and political situations. Commitment to the protection of the rights of juvenile offenders is the basis for developments in juvenile justice. Further, countries are committed to explanations of delinquency which reject individualism and to development of preventive measures which tackle the causes of delinquency. Punitive and penal measures for young offenders must be seen in the context of shortages of resources. The article highlights three features of current thinking on juvenile justice issues in Central and Eastern Europe: (1) Systems that do not address the social and economic circumstances of young people will fail to reduce juvenile offending; (2) The nature of social relationships and the quality of life experiences afforded to children have significant implications for the nature of society in the future; and (3) Regardless of the rights afforded to children in the abstract, how these rights are realized in practice is important. Tables, notes