DATA FOR THE ASSESSMENT WERE COLLECTED BY MEANS OF A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE SEARCH; AN ANALYSIS OF SELECTED JUVENILE CODES; ANALYSIS OF DATA IN THE LEAA (LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION) GRANTS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM; TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH THE STAFFS OF 372 YSB'S AND 45 STATE PLANNING AGENCIES; AND SITE VISITS TO 27 YSB'S. THE STUDY ANALYZED BOTH THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF INDIVIDUAL YSB'S AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE LARGER NETWORK OF SOCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SERVICES. AMONG THE STUDY TEAM'S FINDINGS WERE THAT MOST YSB'S PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES AS THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION, THAT THE YOUTH ADVOCACY FUNCTION OF THE BUREAUS RANGES FROM EXTREMELY LIMITED TO NON-EXISTENT; AND THAT YOUTH SERVICES BUREAUS DO LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PROMOTING CHANGE IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU IS NOT SUITABLE FOR NATIONAL EVALUATION AS A SINGLE TOPIC AREA BECAUSE OF THE GREAT DISPARITY AMONG PROGRAMS, BUT THAT YOUTH SERVICES BUREAUS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE SIMILARLY DEFINED BY LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD EITHER BE HANDLED INDIVIDUALLY WITHIN TOPIC GROUPS OR BY LOCAL EVALUATORS WITH FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)