REVIEW OF THE RELEVANT LITERATURE SHOWS THAT WITHIN THE LAST DECADE IN AUSTRALIA, ONLY TWO STUDIES HAVE DEALT WITH A FORMAL ANALYSIS OF LONG-TERM TRENDS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, AT THE TIME OF THIS ANALYSIS, THESE STUDIES ARE CONSIDERED SOMEWHAT DATED. FURTHER, THE STUDIES WERE LIMITED TO MALE JUVENILE DELINQUENTS IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND THE FINDINGS ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER AUSTRALIAN STATES. THE FINDINGS REVEAL THAT DURING THE 11 YEAR PERIOD UNDER STUDY (1959-1969), THE RATES OF SIX MAJOR TYPES OF NONCAPITAL OFFENSES COMMITTED BY YOUNGER AGE GROUPS OF JUVENILES HAVE NOT INCREASED RELATIVE TO THE RATES OF THE OLDER AGE GROUPS. SECONDLY, THE STUDIES INDICATE THAT THE SIX TYPES OF OFFENSES EXAMINED, ONLY THE RATE OF 'ASSAULT OR MALICIOUS DAMAGE' HAD A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT UPWARD TREND. FINALLY, IN RELATION TO INDIVIDUAL AGE GROUPS, THE FINDINGS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF STEALING AND ASSAULT AND MALICIOUS DAMAGE OFFENSES AMONG THE 16 AND 17 YEAR-OLDS, AND A DECREASE IN SEX OFFENSES IN THESE AND THE 15 YEAR-OLD GROUPS. THERE WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN 'TAKING AND USING MOTOR VEHICLES' AMONG THE 14 TO 17 YEAR-OLDS, AND IN 'BREAKING AND ENTERING' AND 'STEALING' FOR AGES 9 TO 14. WITH REGARD TO CAPITAL OFFENSES (OFFENSES PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENTS FOR LIFE), FINDINGS INDICATED THAT DURING THE 14 YEAR PERIOD UNDER STUDY (1956-1969), THERE WAS NO SYSTEMATIC CHANGE IN THE RATES OF MURDER AND MANSLAUGHTER COMMITTED BY JUVENILES. (RCB)