AN EXAMINATION OF A NUMBER OF RESEARCH STUDIES INDICATES THAT AGENCIES SERVING TROUBLED YOUTH DISPLAYED A DECISIONMAKING PROCESS THAT WAS RELATIVELY RANDOM AND INDEPENDENT OF THE NEEDS OF SOCIETY AND THE YOUTH IN QUESTION. AN IRRATIONAL INTAKE AND SERVICE UTILIZATION PROCESS WAS REVEALED, WHICH PRODUCED A SERIOUS MISMATCH OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES FOR TROUBLED YOUTH. IN THE AREA OF COERCIVE INTERVENTION, AGENCIES ALLOWING SUCH DISCRETION UNDULY EXTENDED PERIODS OF THERAPY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS OF CONTROL. UNLESS POLICIES ARE CHANGED TO REDUCE THE RANDOM NATURE OF INTERVENTION FOR TROUBLED YOUTH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL ONLY PERPETUATE THE PRESENT ABUSES. WITHIN RECENT YEARS, SOME STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES HAVE ATTEMPTED REFORM THROUGH THE FOLLOWING KINDS OF APPROACHES: (1) THE USE OF CASE REVIEW PROCEDURES AND MANDATED JUDICIAL REVIEW OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO DECREASE THE PERIOD OF FOSTER CARE; (2) PROGRAMS USING HOMEMAKER SERVICES TO FAMILIES IN WHICH CHILDREN ARE LABELED FOR ADJUDICATED NEGLECT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO PREVENT OR LESSEN THE LIKELIHOOD OF REMOVING A CHILD FROM THE HOME; (3) IN THE CASE OF YOUTH WHOSE PARENTS HAVE DESERTED THEM OR ARE NO LONGER INTERESTED IN THEIR CARE, SUBSIDIZED ADOPTION HAS BEEN FOUND USEFUL IN REMOVING CHILDREN FROM THE UNCERTAIN STATE OF LONG-TERM FOSTER CARE; AND (4) THE PLACEMENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THE INTAKE LEVEL FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTERVIEWING FAMILIES CAN AID IN DIVERTING YOUTH FROM PROBATION AND COURT TO GROUP PROJECTS. FOR RELATED ARTICLES, PLEASE SEE NCJ 56707-56712 AND 56714-56717. (RCB)