THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NUMBER 17 OF THE 1974 SESSION OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY. A SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE JUVENILE COURT LAWS WAS FORMED, WHICH CONDUCTED THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: GATHERING OF INFORMATION FROM SEVERAL PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF JUVENILE LAW, HOLDING OF PUBLIC HEARINGS TO HEAR THE VIEWS OF PROFESSSIONALS AND CITIZENS CONCERNED WITH JUVENILES AND JUVENILE CRIME, DISTRIBUTION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE, AND SOLICITATION OF COMMENTS ON THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE PROPOSALS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS REACHED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT ARE INTENDED TO GIVE JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURTS MORE RESPONSIBILITY ADVOCATING THE BEST INTERESTS OF CHILDREN AND FOR MONITORING THOSE PROGRAMS IN WHICH IT PLACES CHILDREN. THE INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY ARE ALSO STRESSED. LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS ARE DISCUSSED IN THIS REPORT: JURISDICTION, CUSTODY, ARREST, DETENTION, INTAKE, COUNSEL, TRANSFER AND WAIVER, DISPOSITION, CONFIDENTIALITY AND EXPUNGEMENT, AND THE INTERSTATE COMPACT RELATING TO JUVENILE. THE TEXTS OF THE RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION ARE INCLUDED AS APPENDED MATERIALS.