BETWEEN 1973 AND 1977 THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS ROSE 15 PERCENT. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS FOR UNRULY BEHAVIOR AND FOR DELINQUENCY HAVE DECREASED. THIS IS BELIEVED DUE TO THE POLICE YOUTH BUREAUS. ROBBERY AND ASSAULT CASES ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 0.1 PERCENT OF REFERRALS, BURGLARY DECLINED FROM 5.7 TO 3.6 PERCENT, AUTO THEFT FROM 2.3 TO 1.3 PERCENT, AND FELONY THEFT FROM 6.7 TO 1.9 PERCENT. MISDEMEANOR THEFT ROSE FROM 13.2 TO 14.1 PERCENT. DRUG LAW VIOLATIONS ROSE FROM 2.5 TO 4.3 PERCENT. VANDALISM STAYED AROUND 2 TO 3 PERCENT. THE MAJOR INCREASE WAS IN TRAFFIC OFFENSES, WITH THE LARGEST INCREASE IN DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE, UP FROM 0.7 PERCENT TO 9.0 PERCENT. THE NUMBER OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE DEPRIVATION AND SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS CATEGORIES INCREASED 28 PERCENT, FROM 455 CASES IN 1973 TO 585 IN 1977. THEY STILL CONSTITUTE ONLY 7.4 PERCENT OF TOTAL CASES. DISPOSITION STATISTICS SHOW ONLY 11 PERCENT OF CASES INCURRED A TRANSFER OF LEGAL CUSTODY. MOST OFFENDERS (54.1 PERCENT) RECEIVED WARNINGS OR PROBATION AND IN 6.9 PERCENT OF THE CASES THE COMPLAINT WAS UNSUBSTANTIATED. DURING 1977 NORTH DAKOTA HANDLED 5911 BOYS AND 2010 GIRLS IN JUVENILE COURT. CUSTODY WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE IN 109 CASES, OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS IN 24 CASES, THE SOCIAL SERVICE BOARD OR A PRIVATE CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCY IN 368 CASES, AN INDIVIDUAL IN 60 CASES, THE STATE YOUTH AUTHORITY IN 212, AND ANOTHER AGENCY IN 100 CASES. MAPS AND GRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THE REPORT. (GLR)