TWO TYPES OF JUVENILES ARE CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE CANDIDATES FOR HOME DETENTION: THOSE WHOSE OFFENSES ARE SERIOUS BUT WHOSE HOMES ARE STABLE; AND THOSE WHOSE OFFENSES ARE LESS SERIOUS BUT WHOSE HOMES ARE OF QUESTIONABLE STABILITY. YOUTHS ARE ASSIGNED TO THE HOME DETENTION PROGRAM BY A JUVENILE COURT JUDGE, USUALLY AT ARRAIGNMENT OR DETENTION HEARING. RELEASED TO THEIR OWN HOMES, PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE INTENSIVE SUPERVISION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FROM FOUR HOME DETENTION WORKERS. THE EVALUATION REPORT EXAMINES THE PROGRAM FROM ITS INCEPTION IN 1975 THROUGH OCTOBER 1976 AND INCLUDES SECTIONS ON THE PROGRAM'S PROGRESS TOWARD MEETING ITS OBJECTIVES, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE YOUTHS ASSIGNED TO THE PROGRAM, THE INCIDENCE OF RECIDIVISM AND RETURN TO SECURE DETENTION DURING PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, AND THE INCIDENCE OF RECIDIVISM AMONG FORMER PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. THE HOME DETENTION POPULATION INCLUDED 220 NONRECIDIVISTS, 57 SECURE DETENTION RETURNEES, AND 49 RECIDIVISTS. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THE AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER BY 6 AND HAS EXCEEDED ITS OBJECTIVE OF HANDLING 200 CHILDREN PER YEAR THROUGH HOME DETENTION. THE AVERAGE COST PER CHILD PER DAY FOR THE HOME DETENTION PROGRAM HAS BEEN $9.05, COMPARED TO $35.76 FOR THE DETENTION CENTER. A COMPARISON OF RECIDIVISM DATA FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF THE PROGRAM WITH DATA FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS INDICATES SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN OUTCOMES, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO THE COMMISSION OF NEW OFFENSES WHILE ON HOME DETENTION. THE DATA ALSO INDICATE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LACK OF HOME CONTACTS BY DETENTION WORKERS AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF A NEW OFFENSE BEING COMMITTED BY A PARTICIPANT. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED.