TWO GROUPS OF INCARCERATED CHILDREN WERE CONSIDERED: 46 BOYS AND 5 GIRLS BEFORE, AND 46 BOYS AND 6 GIRLS AFTER CONVICTION. THE STUDY CONSIDERS THE NUMBER OF PRESENTENCE IMPRISONED CHILDREN, ASPECTS OF THE COURTS FROM WHICH THEY COME, THEIR AGE, OFFENSES, SENTENCES, AND PREVIOUS OFFENSES, AND THE LENGTH OF TIME THEY SPEND IN CUSTODY. THESE FIGURES ARE COMPARED FOR A SUBGROUP IN SOUTH WALES WITH DATA FROM A HOME OFFICE SURVEY OF ALL ENGLAND AND WALES. THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS ARE INDICATED: (1) ALMOST ALL THE COURTS OF SOUTH WALES WERE INVOLVED IN INCARCERATING CHILDREN BEFORE OR AFTER SENTENCE; (2) JUST OVER THREE PERCENT OF ALL CHILDREN FOUND GUILTY OF INDICTABLE OFFENSES ARE REMANDED IN THIS WAY; (3) AT LEAST A FIFTH OF THE BOYS ARE NOT YET 15 YEARS OLD; (4) BOYS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 2 WEEKS IN PRISON BEFORE CONVICTION, AND 5 WEEKS AFTER CONVICTION BUT BEFORE SENTENCING (AS LONG AS A DETENTION CENTER SENTENCE), WHILE GIRLS AVERAGE 1 WEEK BEFORE AND 4 AFTER; (5) ABOUT HALF THE CHILDREN HAVE NEVER BEEN IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS BEFORE; AND (6) A HIGHER PROPORTION IS SUBSEQUENTLY SENTENCED TO DETENTION CENTER OR BORSTAL TRAINING THAN IN ENGLAND AND WALES AT-LARGE. A PROCEDURE IS RECOMMENDED TO ENSURE THAT ONLY THOSE CHILDREN WHO HAVE OUTGROWN THE CAPABILITY OF LOCAL AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH THEM ARE IMPRISONED. DETENTION ORDERS WOULD BE ISSUED ONLY FOR CHILDREN CHARGED WITH AN OFFENSE FOR WHICH AN ADULT WOULD BE INCARCERATED FOR 14 YEARS OR MORE, CHARGED WITH A VIOLENT OFFENSE OR PREVIOUSLY FOUND GUILTY OF A VIOLENT OFFENSE, OR PERSISTENTLY ABSENT FROM OR DISRUPTIVE TO A COMMUNITY HOME. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. (KBL)