Intended for an audience of foreign fellow jurists, this study examines the complexities of youth protection and its gradual expansion into family intervention. Against the historical background of juvenile protection laws dating back to the 18th century, this study recalls that such protection was originally limited to cases of parental child abuse. Subsequently, juvenile delinquents became the objects of intervention and prevention measures involving the entire family. This produced social work as a profession and its practitioners who replaced the well meaning but disorganized efforts of individual benefactors and charitable organizations. Subsequently delinquent children became the recipients of educational assistance, and subjects rather than objects of law. The problems and complexities involved in investigating the home environments of delinquent children, and the legal justifications for judicial intervention into the families of these children are explained, citing relevant laws and statutes which purport to simultaneously protect the rights of children and those of their parents. Seven explanatory notes giving bibliographic references are appended.