THE STATISTICS GIVE DATA ON JUVENILE ARRESTS AND SOCIAL SERVICES REFERRALS FOR THE YEARS 1974 THROUGH 1978, MAIN COMPLAINTS BY POLICE DIVISION, AGE AND SEX OF OFFENDERS, OFFENSES, PREVIOUS POLICE INVOLVEMENT OF OFFENDERS, AND RECOMMENDED CASE DISPOSITIONS BY DIVISION. THE COURT STATISTICS INCLUDE CAUSE OR MAIN COMPLAINT BY DIVISION; AGE, SEX, AND OFFENSE DATA; COURT RESULT BY CAUSE OR MAIN COMPLAINT; COURT RESULT BY AGE AND SEX; AND COURT RESULT BY DIVISION. APPENDIXES GIVE POLICE LIAISON REFERRALS PER 1,000 POPULATION BY DIVISION AND LOCALITY AND TOTAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN BEFORE THE COURT BY LOCALITY. DATA ARE ALSO GIVEN FOR OFFENDERS BY SCHOOL ATTENDED. DURING THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1978, THE DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT RECEIVED 5,556 NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE POLICE UNDER THE JUVENILE LIAISON ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING 924 NOTIFICATIONS OF NONDELINQUENT ACTS AND 288 CASES OF DELINQUENCY BY CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY. FOR DELINQUENCY, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN REFERRED IN 1977-1978 WAS 4,344; THIS COMPARES WITH 4,365 CHILDREN REFERRED IN 1974-1975 AND REVERSES A DECLINE WHICH HAD SEEN THE NUMBER OF DELINQUENCY REFERRALS DROP TO 4,087 IN 1976-1977. THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS AGED 15 AND YOUNGER ARRESTED FOR THEFT HAS INCREASED AS HAS THE NUMBER OF OFFENDERS WITH PRIOR POLICE OR COURT CONTACT. THIS INCREASE IN OFFENDERS WITH PREVIOUS HISTORY HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY EVIDENT AMONG 11-AND 12-YEAR-OLD GIRLS. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN CARE PROCEEDINGS. A NARRATIVE SUMMARY DISCUSSES THESE TRENDS. (GLR)