THE DETENTION CENTERS WERE ESTABLISHED IN 1972 TO PROVIDE FIRST TIME OFFENDERS, AGED 14 TO 21 YEARS, WITH AN INTENSIVE PERIOD OF TRAINING AND REHABILITATION. PHYSICAL LABOR, FOOT-DRILL AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND COUNSELING ARE THE PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM. FOLLOWING RELEASE, THE OFFENDER MUST REPORT TO AN AFTERCARE OFFICER FOR 6 MONTHS; HE IS, THEN, SUPERVISED LESS INTENSIVELY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 6 MONTHS. DATA FOR THIS 3-YEAR FOLLOWUP WERE COMPILED FROM THE RECORDS OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE. OF THE 698 EX-DETAINEES WHO HAD BEEN RELEASED FOR 3 YEARS OR MORE ON JUNE 30, 1977, 490 OR 70.2 PERCENT WERE SUCCESSFUL WHILE 208 OR 29.8 PERCENT HAD BEEN REARRESTED DURING THIS PERIOD. ANALYSIS OF THE PERSONAL AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RECIDIVISTS REVEALED THAT THEY HAD FEWER SIBLINGS, WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO BE MEMBERS OF TRIAD SOCIETIES (YOUTH GANGS), WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HAD PREVIOUS CRIMINAL HISTORIES, AND WERE DETAINED IN THE CENTERS FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME THAN THE NONRECIDIVISTS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THOSE WHO REMAINED OUT OF TROUBLE CAME FROM LARGER FAMILIES, RECEIVED MORE VISITS FROM THEIR FAMILIES WHILE IN THE DETENTION CENTER, AND WERE LESS LIKELY TO BE INVOLVED WITH A CRIMINAL SUBCULTURE. EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, LIVING ARRANGEMENTS AFTER DISCHARGE, AND AGE AT ADMISSION TO THE CENTER WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT. ON DISCHARGE, 67 PERCENT OF THE SUCCESSES AND 75 PERCENT OF THE RECIDIVISTS WORKED AS SKILLED LABORERS, AND 18 PERCENT OF THE SUCCESSES AND 9 PERCENT OF THE RECIDIVISTS WORKED AS UNSKILLED LABORERS. SINCE MOST OF THE YOUTHS WRE COMMITTED FOR BEING MEMBERS OF TRIAD GROUPS, THE CENTERS WERE CONSIDERED QUITE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE GANG MEMBERSHIP DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER DISCHARGE. THE PROGRAM WAS JUDGED TO BE COST EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AT THE CENTERS AND THE LOW RATE OF RECONVICTION. (GLR)