AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF DIETETIC FACTORS AND DEVIANCY REVEALED VERY HIGH SUCROSE CONSUMPTION IN A SMALL GROUP OF ADJUDICATED JUVENILE OFFENDERS. THE PRESENT STUDY UTILIZED TWO GROUPS OF SUBJECTS TOTALING 27 PERSONS EACH, MATCHED BY AGE AND GENDER. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP CONSISTED OF JUVENILES ADJUDICATED FOR THREE OR MORE OFFENSES INCLUDING A FELONY. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS SELECTED FROM BEHAVIORALLY DISORDERED YOUTHS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. THE SAME INSTRUMENTS WERE USED TO QUESTION ALL RESPONDENTS, INCLUDING QUESTIONS ON DIET AND TEN ADDITIONAL ITEMS ON THE SUBJECT'S LIFESTYLE AND FAMILIAL BACKGROUND. COMPARISON OF THE RESPONSES SHOWED THAT MORE THAN DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF EXPERIMENTALS DID NOT EAT MEALS WITH THEIR FAMILIES THAN DID CONTROL GROUP SUBJECTS AND THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP SMOKED A FAR GREATER NUMBER OF CIGARETTES PER DAY. WHILE THE PREFERRED FOODS--STEAKS, PIZZA, AND HAMBURGERS--WERE SIMILAR FOR BOTH GROUPS, THE PREFERRED BEVERAGES DATA INDICATED A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE PREFERENCE FOR COW'S MILK. OFFENDERS PREFERRED MILK TWICE AS MUCH AS COLA, THEIR SECOND CHOICE, WHILE THE CONTROL GROUP INDICATED THE REVERSE ORDER OF PREFERENCE. MOREOVER, COMPARISON BETWEEN EACH GROUP'S MATCHED SUBJECTS SHOWED THE CHRONIC OFFENDER DOUBLING OR EXCEEDING THE CONTROL GROUP SUBJECT'S MILK INTAKE. THE GROUP DIFFERED ALSO IN THE CONSUMPTION OF MAGNESIUM-RICH FOODS SUCH AS MEAT, FRUITS, AND GREEN VEGETABLES, WHICH WERE LACKING IN THE JUVENILE OFFENDERS' DIETS. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. SEE ALSO NCJ#'S 65208 AND 65209. (MRK)