The past few years have seen the emergence of a debate on the treatment of juvenile delinquents. The argument is usually presented as being between exponents of punishment on the one hand, and the advocates of social work and treatment on the other. The book suggests that the juvenile justice system is itself at fault. While debate over the merits of the Children and Young Persons Act of 1969 continues, more and more supposedly delinquent children have been locked up, contrary to the intentions of the act. Recommendations presented in this work are aimed at the police, magistrates, social workers, probation officers, and agency managers and practitioners. Practical ways of collecting information to modify local policies are described, and innovative and imaginative ways of working with juvenile offenders are suggested. Recommendations are that clear policy decisions should be taken and directions established by social work agencies dealing with juvenile offenders, with the initial aim being the decarceration of children from expensive and ineffective institutions and the redeployment of finances and resources to community-based facilities. These facilities should consist of high-, medium-, and low-intensity programs designed to provide services for clearly defined categories of juvenile offenders. Agencies should develop closer links with the police, the education department, and the youth services. Agencies must strive to manage juvenile delinquency in the community. Implementation of policy changes should be closely monitored, researched, and evaluated. An index, tables, and figures are included; references are provided for each chapter. (Author abstract modified)