Data were obtained on a sample of juveniles referred to juvenile court during 1990. The sample included 1,206 felony, 1,348 misdemeanor, and 532 status cases. Observations were made at major decision points, including intake, detention, informal versus formal processing, disposition, and placement. Quantitative data revealed minorities often received more formalized treatment, were detained more often, and were placed out of the home more often than their majority counterparts. Qualitative data suggested legal and extralegal information germane to juvenile court decision-making processes was framed within a social control context. Moreover, qualitative analysis showed juvenile court officials perceived social control of adolescents should reside within the family realm. Qualitative insights for quantitative findings, that race affected juvenile justice processing, suggested juvenile courts supported a structural-functional model of family life that put minority youth at particular risk for more intrusive court interventions. Appendixes contain statistical data on juvenile offenders and juvenile court intake decisions. 61 references and 4 tables