Juvenile justice system procedures are described in detail, starting with the initial complaint or police contact and ending with termination of a dispositional order. Each procedure is compared with the proposed national standards. It is recommended that the Superior Court's Social Services Division be given nonappealable authority to no-petition any Person in Need of Supervision complaint alleging an offense which, if committed by an adult, would be a misdemeanor. In addition, nonjudicial diversion programs should be favored over petitioning. Moreover, time limits and other specific guidelines for Social Service Division decisions should be established. Furthermore, no children brought to court should be placed in cells unless they are physically uncontrollable. For related case studies, see NCJ 72413-15.