DRAWING HEAVILY ON CASE STUDIES AND THE AUTHOR'S FIRST HAND OBSERVATIONS OF JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE TEXT FIRST EXAMINES THE PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM OF INCARCERATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS IS THEN INVESTIGATED. CHAPTERS ARE PROVIDED ON SUCH ASPECTS OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AS THE USE OF IQ TESTING, TREATMENT OF MENTALLY RETARDED JUVENILES, AND THE HANDLING OF RUNAWAYS. THE CONDITIONS IN JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS ARE ALSO EXAMINED WITH RESPECT TO SUCH TOPICS AS TREATMENT METHODS, THE JUVENILE FEMALE OFFENDER, SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, AND SUICIDES. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES WITH A CALL FOR REFORM OF THE JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM, AND OUTLINES A STRATEGY FOR CHANGE.