THE DELINQUENT SUBJECTS WERE A RANDOM SAMPLE OF YOUTHS REFERRED TO A JUVENILE COURT. THE MATCHED CONTROLS WERE NEW HAVEN CHILDREN DEMOGRAPHICALLY SIMILAR TO THE DELINQUENTS. THE ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON THE CHILDREN'S RECORDS AT A LARGE GENERAL HOSPITAL. COMPARED TO CONTROLS, THE DELINQUENT CHILDREN MADE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER USE OF ALL HOSPITAL FACILITIES, WERE FAR MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN SEEN FOR ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES (PARTICULARLY HEAD OR FACE TRAUMA), WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF ABUSE, BUT WERE NOT LIKELY TO HAVE DEMONSTRATED PSYCHIATRIC DISTURBANCE, WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF ABUSE, BUT WERE NOT MORE LIKELY TO HAVE HAD PERINATAL (BIRTH-RELATED) PROBLEMS. THE HOSPITAL CONTACTS OF CONTROLS TENDED TO BE DISTRIBUTED EVENLY OVER TIME, BUT THE DELINQUENT CHILDREN'S CONTACTS WERE CLUSTERED AT EARLY CHILDHOOD (BEFORE AGE 4) AND EARLY ADOLESCENCE (14-16). THIS FINDING SUGGESTS AN INTERACTION OF DEVELOPMENTAL FACTORS AND PARENTAL INADEQUACY ACCOUNTING FOR THE FREQUENT HOSPITAL CONTACTS OF DELINQUENTS. BOTH EARLY CHILDHOOD AND EARLY ADOLESCENCE ARE DEVELOPMENTAL PERIODS CHARACTERIZED BY INCREASED PHYSICAL (MOTOR) CAPACITY AND BY AN IMBALANCE BETWEEN INNER BEHAVIORAL CONTROLS AND HEIGHTENED IMPULSES. LACKING ADEQUATE EXTERNAL (PARENTAL) CONTROLS, CHILDREN AT THESE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR THAT COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. A CHILD'S FREQUENT HOSPITAL CONTACTS IN THE ABSENCE OF A SINGLE MEDICAL DISORDER SHOULD ALERT MEDICAL PERSONNEL TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE FAMILY DISTURBANCE AND TO THE POTENTIAL FOR DELINQUENCY. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)