AN EXPERIMENTAL-CONTROL GROUP METHODOLOGY WAS ADOPTED IN ORDER TO ISOLATE THE EFFECTS OF THE VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON DEFENDANT RESTITUTION PAYMENTS. OCTOBER 1, 1975, THE BEGINNING DATE OF THE PROGRAM, WAS TAKEN AS THE POINT AFTER WHICH THE EFFECTS OF THE PROGRAM MIGHT BE EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE REPAYMENT OF RESTITUTION BY JUVENILES. THE PROGRAM, WHICH OPERATED FROM OCTOBER 1, 1975 TO JUNE 30, 1976, HAD 129 PARTICIPANTS ('AFTER' SAMPLE); A COMPARABLE 9 MONTHS PERIOD, JANUARY 1, 1975 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1975, WAS TAKEN AS THE PERIOD BEFORE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PROGRAM, AND A SAMPLE OF 71 JUVENILES ('BEFORE' SAMPLE) WAS SELECTED FROM THIS PERIOD. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF A VARIETY OF OFFENSE CHARACTERISTICS, SOCIAL TRAITS, ASPECTS OF THE DEFENDANT'S FAMILY LIFE, AND DEFENDANT RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE FAMILY INDICATED THAT ON 13 OR 14 MEASURES, THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BEFORE AND AFTER SAMPLES. THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SAMPLES REGARDING THE MOST SERIOUS OFFENSES OF WHICH SUBJECTS WERE CONVICTED; HOWEVER, NO SUBSTANTIVE REASON WAS DETERMINED AS TO WHY THIS MEASURE SHOULD AFFECT RESTITUTION PAYMENTS. IN ANY EVENT, FURTHER ANALYSIS SEEKING TO ACCOUNT FOR RESTITUTION WILL STATISTICALLY CONTROL THIS MEASURE. BEFORE AND AFTER SAMPLES HAVE THEREFORE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND CHARACTERIZED SO AS TO CONSITIUTE VALID CONTROL AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS TO BE USED IN SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS THE SURVEY FORM USED FOR THE OBTAINING OF SUBJECT DATA. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)