NO DIFFERENCES IN AGE, SEX, OR TYPES OF PETITIONS WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE RETURNEES AND OTHERS DETAINED IN THE JTDC IN SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER, 1978. THE RETURNEES HAD A HIGHER NUMBER OF MINOR COMPLAINTS, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE COURT ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH MINOR OFFENDERS AS IS SUGGESTED BY DATA ON REASONS FOR CONTINUANCES DURING DETENTION. EACH RETURNEE AVERAGED 4.3 DETENTIONS, 6.4 FILLED PETITIONS, 18.6 DAYS PER DETENTION, AND 2.8 COURT HEARINGS PER DETENTION (ONE HEARING FOR EACH 6.7 DAYS DETAINED). OF THOSE STUDIED 42 PERCENT WERE WARDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES (DCFS) DURING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THEIR HISTORY WITH THE COURT, AND THEY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER AND HAD MORE DETENTIONS THAN NON-DCFS CHILDREN. THIS FINDING SUGGESTS THAT RETURNEES HAVE MORE EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS WITH ACTING-OUT BEHAVIOR. IN THE 36 PERCENT OF DETENTIONS OF DCGS CHILDREN WHEN A 'RELEASE-UPON-REQUEST-TO-DCFS' ORDER WAS ISSUED, THE LENGTH OF DETENTION WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER (28.7 DAYS) THAN FOR THE REMAINING 64 PERCENT OF DCFS CHILDREN (14.1 DAYS) OR FOR THE NON-DCFS CHILDREN (17.7 DAYS). IN ADDITION TO THE EMOTIONAL DEPRIVATION CAUSING DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR, REASONS FOR THE RESULTS MIGHT INCLUDE LACK OF A SECURE PLACEMENT FACILITY FOR DCFS CHILDREN OR THE RELUCTANCE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO DEAL WITH DCFS WARDS. TABULAR DATA ARE PRESENTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)