THE 37 CASES INVOLVED A TOTAL OF 54 TYPES OF INCESTUOUS BEHAVIOR. ONE CASE INVOLVED AN ADOPTED SON, FOUR INVOLVED SISTER-BROTHER INCEST, AND THE REST WERE A FATHER AND A DAUGHTER OR STEPDAUGHTER. THE COUNTY OF STUDY REMAINS ANONYMOUS TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF THE VICTIMS. ONLY THREE DAUGHTERS AND ONE STEPDAUGHTER REPORTED THE INCEST. THE REST OF THE CASES WERE DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT. STUDY OF THE CASES FOUND THAT THE POLICE AND COURTS WERE ILL-EQUIPPED TO HANDLE SEXUAL ABUSE. THE CHILD NEEDED TO BE PLACED OUTSIDE THE HOME IN A SUPPORTIVE SITUATION DURING THE INVESTIGATION, BUT OFTEN THE ONLY FACILITY AVAILABLE WAS A DETENTION HOME. WHEN THERAPY WAS RECOMMENDED, THE PARENTS OFTEN DID NOT FOLLOW THROUGH. THE JUVENILE COURT, DETENTION AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS OFTEN HAD DIVERGENT PHILOSOPHIES ON HANDLING THE PROBLEM. THE CHILD WAS THE ONE WHO SUFFERED. THE STUDY ALSO SHOWED THAT INCESTUOUS BEHAVIOR IS DETECTED LESS OFTEN IN HIGHER INCOME FAMILIES, BUT SEEMS JUST AS COMMON. THE RATE OF REPORTED SEXUAL OFFENSES INCREASED WITH THE AGE OF THE GIRL. CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN AGED 6 TO 12 YEARS WERE SELDOM REPORTED. PEERS OFTEN PRESSURED THE TEENAGER INTO REPORTING HER FATHER. IN THIS STUDY THERE WAS NO CORRELATION BETWEEN AGE OF WIFE AND INCESTUOUS BEHAVIOR OF HUSBAND. THE FACT THAT THESE MEN PREFERRED IMMATURE SEX OBJECTS WAS SHOWN BY THE FACT THAT IN FAMILIES WITH SEVERAL DAUGHTERS, EACH IN TURN BECAME THE VICTIM. OF THE 37 VICTIMS STUDIED, ONLY TWO HAD NO REPORTED JUVENILE OFFENSES. DATA WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR TWO. OF THE REMAINING, 16 GIRLS WERE INVOLVED IN A TOTAL OF 32 OFFENSES INCLUDING SCHOOL BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, RUNNING AWAY, INCORRIGIBILITY, AND PROMISCUITY. AMONG THE REMAINING 17 CHILDREN THERE WERE A NUMBER OF SERIOUS OFFENSES: SIX ATTEMPTED SUICIDES WITH FIVE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE INCESTUOUS BEHAVIOR, FIVE THREATS TO KILL THE INCEST PARTICIPANT, ASSORTED OTHER FAMILY SITUATIONS IN WHICH A THREAT TO KILL WAS RELATED TO THE INCEST, AND TWO CONSPIRACIES TO KILL. THESE 17 ALSO RECORDED ONE PETTY LARCENY, ONE BREAKING AND ENTERING WITH A CONCEALED WEAPON, AND ONE CAR THEFT. MOST ALARMING IS THE HIGH NUMBER OF INCIDENTS THREATENING HUMAN LIFE RESULTING FROM INCESTUOUS BEHAVIOR. THE 16 INVOLVED IN SCHOOL MISBEHAVIOR AND RUNNING AWAY TESTIFY TO THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH INCEST. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)