OF THE TOTAL FIRST COMMITMENTS, 3,457 WERE MALES AND 169 WERE FEMALES. FOR MALES, 55 PERCENT WERE JUVENILE COURT COMMITMENTS AND 45 PERCENT WERE ADULT COURT COMMITMENTS AS COMPARED TO 65 AND 35 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY FOR FEMALES. THE MEDIAN AGE AT COMMITMENTS WAS 17.9 YEARS OLD, AND 41 PERCENT OF THE MALES AND 49 PERCENT OF THE FEMALES WERE COMMITTED FOR OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS. MINORITIES COMPRISED 61 PERCENT OF TOTAL COMMITMENTS. PEER GROUP INFLUENCE WAS THE MAJOR PROBLEM REPORTED IN ADJUSTMENT OF THE WARDS AND A MAJORITY OF THE WARDS USED ALCOHOL TO SOME EXTENT. AT THE TIME OF COMMITMENT, 74 PERCENT OF THE MALES AND 62 PERCENT OF THE FEMALES WERE LIVING IN THE PARENTAL HOME; 60 PERCENT LIVED WITH ONLY ONE PARENT. OVER HALF OF THE WARDS CAME FROM LARGE FAMILIES AND FROM FINANCIALLY ADEQUATE HOMES. APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF MALES AND ONE-HALF OF FEMALES HAD HAD FIVE OR MORE DELINQUENCY CONTACTS PRIOR TO COMMITMENT. ADDITIONAL DATA PROVIDED INCLUDE DETAILED INFORMATION ON RESIDENCE, ETHNICITY, MARITAL STATUS, COMMITMENT OFFENSE, RELIGION, IMMATURITY-LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONS, PHYSICAL HANDICAPS, MAJOR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATIONAL STATUS, FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD CRIMINAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS, PRIOR DEPENDENCY AND DELINQUENCY CONTACTS, PRIOR COMMITMENTS, AND PRIOR ESCAPES. (JAP)