A DESCRIPTION IS ATTEMPTED OF THE WAY IN WHICH CHILDREN WERE DEALT WITH BY THE POLICE, SOCIAL WORKERS, PROBATION OFFICERS, AND JUVENILE COURTS DURING THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF 1972. FIRST, AN OVERVIEW IS PRESENTED OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THE LAW FROM 1908 TO 1969, THE YEAR WHEN THE ACT TOOK EFFECT. NEXT, THE CONCEPTUAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, AND IDEOLOGICAL ELEMENTS OF THE JUSTICE AND WELFARE SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED; HOW CHILDREN COME TO ENTER THE SYSTEM IS EXAMINED BRIEFLY. NEXT, THE OFFICIAL VIEW OF CHILDREN IN TROUBLE IS OUTLINED, WITH ATTENTION TO OFFENSES AND OFFENDERS, COOFFENDERS, GROUPS AND THE SNOWBALL EFFECT (TWO OR MORE OFFENDERS COMMITTING NUMBERS OF OFFENSES), SPECIFIC CLASSES OF OFFENSE (ASSAULT, BURGLARY, SHOPLIFTING, AUTO THEFT, RESIDUAL THEFTS, DAMAGE, TRESPASS, AND SUMMARY OFFENSES), TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, INFORMATION CASES, AND OFFENSES HANDLED BY THE SPECIAL POLICE FORCES WITH JURISDICTION OVER AIRPORTS, RAILINES, AND PORTS. POLICE DECISIONMAKING IS EXAMINED REGARDING DECISIONMAKING FACTORS (I.E., AGE, THE SERIOUSNESS OF AN OFFENSE, TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, AND PREVIOUS RECORD), WELFARE-RELATED ITEMS, POLICE DECISIONMAKERS, PREDICTIVE ATTRIBUTE ANALYSIS, COOFFENDERS, AND BRITISH TRANSPORT POLICE DECISIONS. THE TRIAL AND SENTENCING PROCESS IS ALSO DISCUSSED. FINALLY, AN ASSESSMENT IS ATTEMPTED OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE UNDERLYING THEME OF JUVENILE ADJUDICATION, THAT IS, DECISIONMAKING IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD. RECOMMENDATIONS INCUDE ABOLITION OF THE JUVENILE COURT, THE RAISING OF THE AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF NONINTERVENTION. APPENDED MATERIAL OUTLINES THE ORIGINS AND METHODS OF THE STUDY, INCLUDING TABULAR DATA, THE GENERAL APPROACH, A DEFINITION OF THE CHILDREN INVOLVED, THE STUDY PERIOD, AND THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. NO INDEX IS INCLUDED. (KBL)