The concept of volunteerism in juvenile and criminal justice originated in the United States during colonial times. The idea of providing probation for minor offenders was developed after the American Revolution. By 1859, John Augustus, a Boston shoemaker, had worked with over 2,000 such probationers on a strictly volunteer basis. By 1900, the harsh treatment of juvenile offenders led volunteers to crusade for the formation of juvenile courts. The middle to late 1950's saw the resurgence of organized volunteering in court programs. Adults in Eugene, Oreg., and college students in Lawrence, Kan., sought new ways to involve volunteers on behalf of offenders. Programs in Boulder, Colo., and Royal Oak, Mich., expanded the role of volunteers in juvenile and adult courts. The Royal Oak program made extensive use of professional volunteers such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and medical doctors to provide needed services for defendants who could not afford to pay. The major problem confronting the volunteer movement is the resistance of probation officers and other professionals in the field. The primary concern was that volunteers would take jobs away from professionals, but this belief has proven to be unfounded. It is anticipated that more volunteers will be involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems of the future. Teaching materials, 15 references, and 17 footnotes are provided. See NCJ 83348-83357 and 62914 for related volumes.