SOCIETY'S ATTITUDE TOWARD CHILDREN HAS EVOLVED ACCORDING TO SOCIOECONOMIC NEEDS, AS REFLECTED IN LEGISLATION ON LABOR AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION AND IN THE STATUS OF THE ILLEGITIMATE CHILD OR THE SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY. PROTECTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, HOWEVER, IS BASICALLY LINKED WITH ASSISTANCE TO THE FAMILY. THE RECENT QUEBEC LEGISLATION ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS WILL BE INEFFECTIVE WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES. EXAMINATION OF THE DOSSIERS OF 14 RECIDIVIST JUVENILE DELINQUENTS SHOWED THAT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM'S ACTIONS FOSTER PROTECTION OF SOCIETY BUT NOT PREVENTION OF RECIDIVISM. THE NEW LAW ON YOUTH PROTECTION CAN HAVE THE EXPECTED RESULTS ONLY IF GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND GROUPS IN WHICH PREVENTION IS MOST URGENTLY NEEDED ARE SELECTED FOR INTERVENTION. THESE GROUPS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY INSTABILITY IN EMOTIONS, WAY OF LIFE, ADULT RELATIONSHIPS, AND SOCIOECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES. INTERVIEWS WITH 26 MALE PRISONERS AND 22 FEMALE PRISONERS ILLUSTRATES THE PROBLEMS OF INSTABILITY IN 1 SUCH GROUP. DIRECT AID SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THESE GROUPS OF PARENTS BY ASSIGNING THEM GUARDIANS AND OFFERING THEM SOCIOEDUCATIONAL TREATMENT. FINANCIAL AID ALONE IS INADEQUATE. EDUCATION FOR PARENTS LEADING AN UNSTABLE EXISTENCE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE SOCIAL HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, THE PROTECTION OF NATURAL PARENTS' RIGHTS TO REAR THEIR CHILDREN OFTEN PENALIZES THE YOUNG. PLACING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE RATHER THAN GIVING THEM FOR ADOPTION IS OFTEN NOT IN THE CHILDREN'S BEST INTERESTS. SINCE QUEBEC'S NEW LEGISLATION RECOGNIZES MINORS' RIGHTS TO BE INFORMED AND CONSULTED ABOUT THEIR FATE, IN CERTAIN CASES ADOPTION SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE CHILD. AN ANALYSIS OF CURRENT LEGISLATION AND ITS APPLICATION, EFFECTS OF PAST LEGISLATION, AND A STUDY OF A SAMPLE OF PARENTS WHO ARE COMMON LAW PRISONERS ARE PROVIDED. FIGURES, TABLES, TRANSCRIPTS OF INTERVIEWS WITH PRISONERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, DOSSIERS OF THE 14 RECIDIVIST DELINQUENTS, CHAPTER NOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY WITH NEARLY 70 ENTRIES, AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED.