The Assembly Select Committe on Violence, created in February 1974, gathered information and data on juvenile crime in hearings and interviews and from reports and other publications. The results demonstrated that the number of juveniles arrested in the State for crimes against persons rose sharply between 1968 and 1973 (46.8 percent), while arrests for other offenses declined (by 10 percent). An ineffective juvenile justice system was cited as a major cause for the increase; the system was confused, fragmented, and disorganized. Juveniles who had committed violent acts were sometimes not removed from the schools and community, and no single agency had assumed full responsibility for juvenile offenders. Furthermore, the justice system had not been effective in helping young people, and too frequently contact with the court and referral to inappropriate facilities exacerbated the problems and stigmatized the young people. Confusion within the juvenile justice system between the punitive and rehabilitative roles relative to young people was also discovered. Recommendations for improvements include the reform of juvenile law, the establishment of juvenile justice centers and delinquency prevention projects, a study of the rights of young people, and the development of alternative community schools and additional supportive legislation. Graphs and tables, texts of bills, funding information, and a 34-item bibliography are included.