THE JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED, ESTABLISHES A FRAMEWORK FOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS IN THE AREA OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY. ITS FOUR TITLES BASICALLY PROVIDE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND FOR PROGRAMS RELATING TO RUNAWAY YOUTH; CREATE A MECHANISM FOR THE COORDINATION OF ALL FEDERAL PROGRAMS RELATING TO DELINQUENCY; ESTABLISH NATIONAL CENTERS FOR TRAINING AND RESEARCH IN JUVENILE JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS; AND AMEND CERTAIN FEDERAL CRIMINAL STATUTES PERTAINING TO JUVENILES. A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE HISTORY OF FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IS FOLLOWED BY DETAILS OF THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE 1974 STATUTE AND OF ITS 1977 AMENDMENTS. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO MAJOR ISSUES--DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION, USE OF FUNDS FOR PLANNING, MATCHING REQUIREMENTS FOR FUNDING--ADDRESSED BY CONGRESS IN THE 1977 REAUTHORIZATION OF THE ACT. THE MAJOR PROVISIONS OF EACH TITLE ARE SUMMARIZED. A CHART SHOWS APPROPRIATIONS UNDER TITLES 2 AND 3 OF THE ACT FOR FISCAL 1975-1978. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RELATED CONGRESSIONAL DOCUMENTS AND LEAA REPORTS IS PROVIDED. (LKM)