THE BOSTON STUDY DEALT WITH JUDGES, JUVENILE PROBATION OFFICERS, JUVENILE BUREAU POLICE OFFICERS, AND POLICE CHIEFS IN 26 SMALL PRECINCT COURTS; THE VIENNESE WITH 15 JUDGES IN 10 ROLES AND POLICE AND STATE ATTORNEYS IN 2 OF VIENNA'S LARGEST DISTRICTS. FOUR MEASURES OF PEOPLE'S FEELINGS REGARDING THE NATURE AND SERIOUSNESS OF DELINQUENT ACTS AND APPROPRIATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSES WERE USED IN BOSTON, WHILE A SIMPLER PROCEDURE WAS APPLIED IN VIENNA. IN GENERAL, SUBJECTS FEELINGS WERE PROBED CONCERNING PERCEPTION OF DELINQUENCY AS A THREAT, PERCEPTION OF DELINQUENTS AS MENTALLY DISTURBED, ATTITUDES ON THE APPROPRIATENESS OF ADJUDICATION OF DELINQUENTS AND THEIR COMMITTAL TO INSTITUTIONS, AND OTHER ISSUES. IN VIENNA, ACCORDING TO COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS, JUDGES, POLICE, STATE ATTORNEYS, AND LAY JUDGES USUALLY HAVE MORE 'CONSERVATIVE' OUTLOOK THAN PROBATION OFFICERS AND YOUTH OFFICIALS, BUT THESE ATTITUDES DO NOT FALL NEATLY INTO A PUNITIVE-PERMISSIVE CONTINUUM. IN BOTH VIENNA AND BOSTON, THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM AND THE WAY OFFICIALS PERFORM ROLES ARE RELATED TO ATTITUDES, BUT WHETHER THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN ROLES LEADS TO THE ADOPTION OF PARTICULAR ATTITUDES OR HOLDING CERTAIN ATTITUDES LEADS TO A SEARCH FOR SPECIFIC ROLES IS UNCLEAR. STUDY DATA ARE PROVIDED AND REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)