The author begins by identifying types of delinquent acts, establishing the frequency and seriousness of delinquent behavior, and providing an overview of major intervention points for juvenile delinquency prevention and control. The volume examines two approaches -- individual treatment and area project -- to the prevention of delinquency, and details efforts to control delinquency by diverting juveniles away from the juvenile justice system. Control efforts are explained, including probation and parole, attempts to 'scare juveniles straight,' community-based treatment, and the use of correctional facilities to incapacitate and deter chronic offenders. Recommendations for the future include abandoning traditional delinquency prevention efforts, because they do not work, waste money, violate the rights of juveniles and their families, inspire unworkable suggestions and programs, and fail to affect the known correlates of urban delinquency. Diversion is recommended as the first response to status and minor offenders, and probation is recommended as the first and most frequent sentencing option of juvenile court judges. It is also recommended that efforts to 'scare juveniles straight' be abandoned. Additional recommendations, tables, chapter notes, an index, and a bibliography listing 147 references are supplied.