MAJOR EMPHASIS OF THE STUDY WAS PLACED ON CONSIDERATION OF AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AS A FUNCTION OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES: SEX, RACE, URBAN/NON-URBAN COUNTY, PROBATION PRIOR TO COMMITMENT, OFFENSE TYPES, AND COMMITMENT TYPES. THE CONSIDERATION OF AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AS A MAJOR VARIABLE IN THE STUDY IS BASED ON THE DIVISION'S CONTINUING INTEREST IN REDUCING A CHILD'S INSTITUTIONALIZATION PERIOD TO THE MOST EFFECTIVE MINIMUM. TABLES COMPARING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JUVENILE POPULATION STUDIED DOCUMENT THE TEXT. FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT BLACK JUVENILES AND FIRST COMMITMENT OFFENDERS STAY LONGER THAN WHITES OR SECOND COMMITMENT OFFENDERS. SIMILARLY, MALES ARE COMMITTED FOR A SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER PERIOD THAN FEMALES. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT LENGTH OF STAY COULD BE DECREASED WHILE STILL MAINTAINING A HIGH SUCCESS RATE IN TRAINING THE JUVENILES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP