Juvenile crime has risen sharply from 1950 to 1975 (17,944 versus 58,625 convicted juvenile offenders). The juvenile crime rates begin to (increase) in the 13-year-old category and peak in the 17-to-18-year-old category. The youngest groups of offenders most frequently commit crimes) involving property destruction. Juvenile offenders are predominantly male (94.9 percent), and crimes tend to be gang-oriented, especially among young children in large cities. Judicial discretionary powers in cases of juveniles between 13 and 18 years old are greater in France than in West Germany. Educative measures are imposed more frequently than imprisonment. Such measures may include warnings or required residence at home or in an institution, or supervised liberty with probation assistance in the pretrial, postconviction, probation, and parole stages. Juvenile judges. diagnostic social workers, and social worker educators work together in the same office to aid in rehabilitation. By comparison, adult probation assistance is in a stage of transformation, and adult probation workers are overworked, although the situation is improving. Private social action movements support rehabilitation efforts by running hafeway houses, temporaty housing programs, and a document research center. Such organizations also provide material and theoretical aid, as well as appropriate publicity. Notes are furnished.--in German.