WHILE OVER 2,000 CHILDREN PER MONTH ARE ADMITTED TO SECURE DETENTION, FEWER THAN 400 PER MONTH ENTER FLORIDA YOUTH SERVICES COMMITMENT PROGRAMS OR ADULT PRISONS. THIS STUDY EXAMINES HOW YOUTH COME TO DETENTION AS WELL AS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCH YOUTH. PRIMARY DATA SOURCES ARE OFFICIAL REPORTS ON THE DETENTION POPULATION, INTAKE DATA CARD, AND DETENTION DATA CARD. CHILDREN, IT APPEARS, ARE DETAINED USUALLY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR PROTECTION REASONS. DATA ON OVER 13,000 SUCH CASES HANDLED DURING THE LAST QUARTER, 1977, SHOW ONLY 5.6 PERCENT COMMITTING A SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE BETWEEEN RELEASE AND DISPOSITION. THIS INDICATES THAT FAR TOO MANY YOUTH ARE BEING DETAINED FOR PREVENTIVE REASONS. ALTHOUGH NONSECURE DETENTION FACILITIES EXIST FOR JUVENILES, THEY RECEIVE ONLY A SMALL PERCENT OF DETAINEES. PRIOR TO FEBRUARY 1, 1978, DETENTION SCREENING WAS OPERATED WITH GREAT LATITUDE; AND 28.6 PERCENT OF CASES WERE DETAINED TO ENSURE COURT APPEARANCE. HOWEVER, DATA FROM THE LAST QUARTER OF 1977 SHOW ONLY 5 PERCENT OF JUVENILE DEFENDANTS FAILED TO SHOW IN COURT. SUCH ABUSE OF DETENTION LED TO NEW GUIDELINES-SETTING CRITERIA FOR DETAINING JUVENILES IN 1978. IT IS ADVISED THAT LOCAL EFFORTS BE MADE TO ENSURE YOUTHS' ADMISSION TO NONSECURE RATHER THAN SECURE FACILITIES, IF DETENTION BE NECESSARY. THE NEW JUVENILE DETENTION GUIDELINES SHOULD RELIEVE MANY INJUSTICES BY RESTRICTING YOUTH SERVICES AND COURT DISCRETION IN DETAINING YOUTHS AND IN MANDATING MORE CAREFUL CASE MONITORING. FOOTNOTES, CHARTS, TABLES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.