An original American institution, the juvenile court stemmed from a recognition that children are developmentally different from adults, such that their serious problems must be addressed in a forum that takes into account the particular developmental needs of youth. The juvenile court was thus formed to handle not only cases of delinquency, but also status offense, adoption, abuse, and neglect cases. This report traces the creation and evolution of the juvenile court, along with its authorities and responsibilities. It includes pertinent U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding constitutional due process protections for youth from the 1960s and 1970s. It systematically presents the history of juvenile courts as created individually by States and U.S. Territories. After a comprehensive survey of all States and Territories, a review of existing documents, a debate by an Editorial Review Committee, and a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, the CJJ remains strongly committed to the continuation of a separate court to handle youth and family issues. Although acknowledging that the juvenile justice system needs fine tuning, increased resources, and more coordination, the CJJ believes it still remains the best vehicle for dealing with children and their families. This report advises the President, Congress, and the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention on suggested future directions for the juvenile justice system and ways to strengthen it so as to better serve children and their families, hold juveniles accountable, and enhance public protection. A 232-item bibliography and a listing of previous CJJ reports