THE PROJECT WAS INITIATED IN RESPONSE TO THE DIVISION'S CONCERN WITH DIFFERENTIAL REFERRAL RATES IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES OF THE STATE. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE PROJECT GOALS, A SAMPLE OF EIGHT COUNTIES WAS SELECTED TO INCLUDE COUNTIES WITH HIGH, MEDIUM, AND LOW REFERRAL RATES. THESE COUNTIES WERE USED TO STUDY THE ROLES OF DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL CLASS CHARACTERISTICS, THE REFERRAL POLICIES OF A SAMPLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND THE ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES OF PATROLMEN WHEN DEALING WITH JUVENILES. THE STUDY GROUP RECOMMENDED MORE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE DIVISION AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND TO ENSURE THAT EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER THE LAW IS PROVIDED.