DIVERSION IS CURRENTLY A STRATEGY FOR REDUCING THE INVOLVEMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS WITH THE FORMAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY TO THE EXTENT OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION. DIVERSION IS BASED ON THE IDEA THAT THE PROBLEMS OF YOUTH AND JUVENILE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE REMEDIED THROUGH SERVICES NOT TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION AND COURT DISPOSITION. HOWEVER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS BASIC CONCEPT OF DIVERSION CAN PRESENT A VARIETY OF PROBLEMS FOR LOCAL LEGAL JURISDICTIONS. THE CHARACTER OF JUVENILE BEHAVIOR HANDLED BY DIVERSION AND THE SCOPE OF DIVERSION WILL DEPEND ON THE VALUES, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES OF THE PARTICULAR JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE EXISTENCE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY-SERVICE INSTITUTIONS EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH YOUTH PROBLEMS. IF YOUTH ARE TO BE EFFECTIVELY DIVERTED FROM THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT PRIMARY LOCAL INSTITUTIONS (FAMILY, SCHOOL, CHURCHES, AND NEIGHBORHOODS) BE INVOLVED IN DEFINING THE JUVENILE-DEVIANCY PROBLEM, WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, AND HOW TO ACQUIRE THE REQUISITE RESOURCES. THE PROBLEM OF IMPLEMENTING DIVERSION IS COMPOUNDED FURTHER WHEN LOCAL JUVENILE-JUSTICE-SYSTEM CONTRADICTORY POLICIES ARE ESTABLISHED AT THE STATE LEVEL. PARAMETERS FOR DIVERSION ACTIONS WILL MOST OFTEN BE DETERMINED BY STATE LEGISLATION. POSSIBLY, THE DIVERSION CONCEPT WILL SET A MORE INDIRECT ROLE FOR THE JUVENILE COURT IN DEALING WITH DEVIANT YOUTH. WHILE COORDINATING COMMUNITY SERVICES, THE COURT COULD CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THE CONSCIENCE OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT RELEASE ITS DIRECT JURISDICTION OVER INDIVIDUAL JUVENILES. THIS NOT ONLY WOULD EXPAND COMMUNITY REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, BUT ALSO WOULD SERVE TO BUILD A COHESIVE COMMUNITY TO HELP PREVENT DELINQUENCY. FOR RELATED ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE NCJ 56707-56710 AND 56712-56717.