THE DEFINITIONAL AND CONCEPTUAL CONFUSION SURROUNDING THE CONCEPT OF DIVERSION IS EXAMINED, AND AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO CLARIFY THE CONCEPTS OF PREVENTION, DIVERSION, ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, SCREENING, REFERRAL, AND MINIMIZATION OF PENETRATION. THE AUTHORS STRESS THE NEED TO DEVELOP SOME KIND OF COHERENT FRAMEWORK OUT OF, OR IN SPITE OF, DISPARATE AND OVERLAPPING CONCEPTUAL SCHEMES. PROBLEMS IMPOSED BY THE DECISION TO DIVERT ARE EXAMINED. THE DECISION TO DIVERT IS THEN EXPLORED WITH RESPECT TO THESE QUESTIONS: WHAT TYPES OF PROCESSES INFLUENCE THE OFFICIAL IN HIS DECISION TO DIVERT? AND WHO IS DIVERTED? ALSO EXAMINED IS THE PROBLEM OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIVERSION PROGRAMS TO LEGAL AUTHORITY. FINALLY, THE IMPACT OF DIVERSION IS DISCUSSED WITH EMPHASIS ON THE POTENTIAL ENLARGEMENT OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE NET AND FURTHER STIGMATIZATION OF DIVERTED YOUTH RESULTING FROM DIVERSION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)