THEY ARGUE THAT CURRENT APPROACHES TO THE TREATMENT OF DELINQUENTS PLACE TOO MUCH EMPHASIS UPON TRYING TO MODIFY THE DEVIANT PERSONALITIES OR ATTITUDES WHICH ARE OFTEN PRESUMED TO UNDERLIE DELINQUENCY. THEY SUGGEST THAT GREATER PROGRESS WOULD BE MADE IF THE IMPORTANCE WERE RECOGNISED FIRST OF THE OFFENDER'S IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT IN ELICITING DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR AND SECOND, OF THE LEARNING PROCESS WHICH ESTABLISHES HABITUAL RESPONSES TO PARTICULAR SITUATIONS. GREATER EFFORTS MIGHT THEN BE MADE TO MODIFY THE PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES IN A CHILD'S HOME AND IN HIS WIDER SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT WHICH HAVE A BEARING ON DELINQUENCY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)