THE YSP IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT INVOLVES BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN HELPING YOUNG OFFENDERS AND THEIR PARENTS. THE CARKHUFF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (HRD) MODELS FOR SKILLS TRAINING, DELIVERY, AND SUPPORT WERE ADOPTED AS THE KEY YSP MODELS. THE HRD MODELS FOCUS ON SKILLS AND THE TEACHING OF SKILLS BY PRESENTING A TECHNOLOGY THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE, PROGRAMS, AND ORGANIZATIONS WORK TOGETHER TO REACH GOALS. THE MODEL'S BASIC TENETS, WHICH WERE THE CORE OF YSP'S DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) RECIDIVISM PARTLY RESULTS FROM THE JUVENILE OFFENDER'S LACK OF PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND INTELLECTUAL SKILLS IN THE LIVING, LEARNING, AND WORKING SPHERES; (2) SKILLS TRAINING OR TEACHING CAN OVERCOME THESE DEFICITS; AND (3) A SKILLS-TRAINING PROGRAM MUST INVOLVE CONCERNED CITIZENS, PROGRAMS, AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE YSP IS AN OPERATIONAL UNIT OF THE YOUTH SECTION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IS COEQUAL WITH THE OTHER THREE UNITS OF THE YOUTH SECTION, WHICH INCLUDE JUVENILE INVESTIGATORS, A MISSING-PERSONS UNIT, AND A SCHOOL UNIT. DATA INDICATE THAT YSP PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED A LOWER RECIDIVISM RATE, FEWER REPEAT OFFENSES PER RECIDIVIST, FEWER SEVERE OFFENSES PER RECIDIVIST, AND FEWER PETITIONS FILED THAN A CONTROL SAMPLE OF YOUTH. THE RESULTS OF A GENERAL COST ANALYSIS SHOW A 174-PERCENT RETURN ON THE ORIGINAL INVESTMENT. ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON THE STAFF, YOUTH, AND PARENTS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM, THE PROGRAM'S SUPPORT SYSTEMS, AND RESULTS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)