THE POLICY OF THE YOUTH AUTHORITY IS TO ENCOURAGE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT DISCRIMINATION BY RECRIMINATION BY RECRUITING, EMPLOYING, AND PROMOTING QUALIFIED MEMBERS OF GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED BY PAST PERSONNEL PRACTICES. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY IS THE RIGHT OF ALL PERSONS TO BE ACCORDED FULL CONSIDERATION FOR EMPLOYMENT, RETENTION, AND ADVANCEMENT ON THE BASIS OF MERIT. IN STRIVING TO ATTAIN A BALANCED WORK FORCE THROUGH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, THE YOUTH AUTHORITY EMPLOYS GOALS RATHER THAN QUOTAS. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STATISTICS FOR THE 12-MONTH PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1979, SHOWED A 1.5-PERCENT GAIN IN THE PROPORTION OF MINORITIES AMONG TOTAL YOUTH AUTHORITY PERSONNEL. A 1.1 PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE FOR WOMEN OCCURRED. TOTAL PERSONNEL INCLUDED 1,688 MINORITIES, OR 35.2 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WORK FORCE. THE YOUTH AUTHORITY'S AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GOAL FOR MINORITY PERSONNEL WAS 36.8 PERCENT OF THE WORK FORCE; THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GOAL FOR WOMEN WAS 36.3 PERCENT. THE FOLLOWING DATA ON STAFFING BY ETHNIC GROUP WERE RECORDED: BLACK, 17.9 PERCENT OF THE WORK FORCE; SPANISH-SURNAMED, 13 PERCENT; ASIAN, 2.5 PERCENT; NATIVE AMERICAN, 0.3 PERCENT; FILIPINO, 0.6 PERCENT; AND OTHER MINORITIES, 1 PERCENT. BLACKS AND NATIVE AMERICANS WERE BELOW THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION GOALS, BUT ALL OTHER MINORITIES WERE ABOVE. TABULAR DATA SHOW YOUTH AUTHORITY AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TRENDS AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF FACILITY PERSONNEL, PAROLE REGION PERSONNEL, HEADQUARTERS PERSONNEL, AND OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES. YOUTH AUTHORITY PERSONNEL CLASSIFICATIONS ARE NOTED IN AN APPENDIX. (DEP)