THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS OUTLINED, AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM (INCLUDING AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART) IS PRESENTED. JUVENILE JUSTICE TERMINOLOGY IS DEFINED, AND THE MAJOR FEATURES OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 1974 ARE DISCUSSED. JUVENILE CRIME STATISTICS INCLUDE A COMPARISON OF JUVENILE ARREST DATA BY OFFENSE FOR 1975, 1976, AND 1977, A COMPARISON OF JUVENILE AND ADULT ARRESTS FOR INDEX CRIMES IN 1977, AND A BREAKDOWN OF JUVENILE ARRESTS BY SEX AND AGE FOR 1977. A DIAGRAM TRACING JUVENILE ARRESTS IN 1977 THROUGH THE REFERRAL, ADJUDICATION, AND DISPOSITION PROCESSES SHOWS THAT 87 PERCENT OF THE JUVENILES ARRESTED WERE REFERRED TO THE JUVENILE COURT, 19 PERCENT OF JUVENILE ARRESTS RESULTED IN THE FILING OF A PETITION, AND 9 PERCENT OF THE ARRESTED JUVENILES WERE ADJUDICATED DEPENDENT, DELINQUENT, OR INCORRIGIBLE. ONE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL JUVENILE ARRESTS RESULTED IN COMMITMENT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. SUMMARY DESCRIPTIONS ARE PRESENTED OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE COURTS, AND PROBATION AGENCIES IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. STATISTICS INCLUDE PROBATION CASELOADS BY COUNTY FOR 1977, JUVENILE COURT REFERRALS AND DETENTION POPULATIONS BY COUNTY FOR 1977, JUVENILE COMMITMENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS BY OFFENSE FOR 1977, AND COMMITMENTS BY COUNTY FOR 1977. A GRAPH SHOWS THAT, OF THE 1,207 JUVENILES UNDER THE DEPARTMENT'S JURISDICTION AS OF JANUARY 1, 1978, 37.2 PERCENT WERE IN DEPARTMENTAL INSTITUTIONS, 27.2 PERCENT WERE ON PAROLE, 17.2 PERCENT WERE ON 'ESCAPE STATUS,' 16.2 PERCENT WERE HOUSED IN CONTRACT OR JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES, AND 1.8 PERCENT WERE IN COMMUNITY TREATMENT CENTERS. A TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF DELINQUENCY AND STATUS OFFENDER ARRESTS BY COUNTY FOR 1975-1977 AND PROJECTING THE NUMBER OF JUVENILE ARRESTS THROUGH 1980 IS APPENDED. (LKM)