The Miami-Dade Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) National Demonstration Project (NDP) opened in 1997 and serves as a national model to transform the front-end of the juvenile justice system. This transformation includes implementing the state-of-the-art screening and assessment instruments, identifying problems of arrested youth, involving arrested youth in effective supervision and intervention services, diverting youth from entering the juvenile justice system, reducing the flow of arrested youth, and improving the quality of life of troubled youth, their families, and community. The NDP was designed to proceed in two phases. This paper discusses Phase 1 which is devoted to developing state-of-the art screening-assessment procedures, program designs, and service delivery models. The JAC provides an important opportunity to develop a continuum of care that is visionary. The JAC decision-tree screening-assessment and service protocol promises to become a national model for replication. This paper discusses the background and vision of the NDP, its implementation and accomplishments in the program areas of screening and assessment, post-arrest diversion, gender specific services, a new service for the siblings of offenders, Haitian juvenile arrestee services, and an information resource center. The paper concludes by presenting current and future plans of the NDP. Notes, references