In Baden-Wuerttemberg, as in most German States, a number of different living groups have been established for homeless, disadvantaged, and convicted juveniles since introduction of probation assistance in the juvenile code of 1953. However, since the lowering of the age of juveniles eligible for juvenile assistance to 18, most probationers are no longer able to receive assistance in homes. Little use has been made of the possibility of temporarily placing accused juveniles in homes. Instead, the trend in recent years has been to place juveniles in pretrial detention even though only about a third of them actually receive a prison sentence. A national commission on juvenile corrections wishes to reverse this trend by expanding the use of homes under the juvenile assistance law. A number of other organizations advocate homes as a means of avoiding juvenile incarceration and of improving the effectiveness of ambulatory probation assistance by providing transitional live-in educational measures. Homes can offer special assistance for juveniles from disrupted families, juveniles without family, juveniles with severe behavior disturbances, and youths with an uncertain social prognosis. Homes may take the form of living groups, open homes, institutions with educational facilities, or specialized rehabilitation institutions. But the State justice administration must work together with the private organizations sponsoring homes if the programs are to be successful, and available treatment facilities must be made known to juvenile judges, court assistants, and lawyers. Agencies of criminal justice and of juvenile social assistance must also work closely to reduce divergences between juvenile assistance law and juvenile criminal law. Under the present rules, youths in homes must frequently finance not only their room and board but also the financial assistance programs so than none of their modest earnings remain. Such a situation undermines the program and must be modified. Notes are supplied.