BEGINNING IN 1959, THE AUTHOR ATTEMPTED TO DEVELOP A A TREATMENT EXPERIMENT FOR JUVENILES IN PROVO, UTAH, THAT EMPLOYED A POSITIVE PEER CULTURE IN SMALL GROUPS OF DELINQUENTS. WITH STAFF GUIDANCE AND PARTICIPATION, THESE GROUPS WERE TO BECOME TREATMENT AGENTS FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. ALL BASIC DECISIONS CONCERNING REGULATIONS, DISCIPLINE, TREATMENT, EVEN RELEASE, WERE TO BE MADE BY THE GROUP. IT WAS ALSO INTENDED THAT THE PROJECT WOULD RESULT IN INCREASED COMMUNITY INTERACTION. THE PROJECT WAS DEEMED A SUCCESS, AND THE AUTHOR CONTINUED HIS PROGRAM IN LOS ANGELES (THE SILVERLAKE EXPERIMENT). THE RESEARCH FINDINGS INDICATED THAT EQUAL OR BETTER RESULTS WERE ACHIEVED IN THE COMMUNITY AND THAT DELINQUENTS WERE SPARED THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF INCARCERATION. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT FINDING CONCERNED THE COST SAVINGS REALIZED BY THE EXPERIMENTAL COMMUNITY HOMES AS CONTRASTED WITH TRADITIONAL, COST-INCURRING, LENGTHY TERMS OF INCARCERATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)...KAP