While delinquents in India and the United States resemble each other in the pattern and kinds of offenses committed, Indian youth are decidedly less delinquent than American youth in their overall involvement in delinquency, the relative frequency with which they commit offenses, and the seriousness of their conduct. Relatively little of the delinquent behavior in both countries comes to the attention of the police. Of those youth who do contact the criminal justice system in both countries, most are treated informally. Only a small proportion are incarcerated. Incarcerated Indian youth tend to remain institutionalized longer than American youth. In both countries, the youth who most often face judicial processing and incarceration are disproportionately from impoverished backgrounds or families giving inadequate care to their children. Institutions in both countries basically fulfill a custodial function. They differ considerably, however, in philosophical orientation and programs. While a mixture of punitive and therapeutic goals characterize most American institutions, Indian facilities appear to be more oriented to the physical maintenance and educational and vocational training of residents than their punishment or rehabilitation. Tabular data are provided on the percentage of surveyed youth who reported commission of listed deviant acts one or more times and the percentage of rural and urban adults who would report certain juvenile offenses and recommend a formal sanction. Five notes and 16 references are provided. (Author summary modified)