Problems with the availability and reliability of 'official' social-scientific data in Nigeria are cited, and scholarly literature on delinquency is divided into three categories, including empirical studies of the official handling of delinquency and delinquents. Patterns of recorded delinquency and adjudicated delinquents are described, and attributes of institutionalized delinquents and their parents are summarized. The primary delinquent act is theft, and the typical delinquent is a 12- to 15-year old male. The delinquent's father generally has no employment-related formal education and lacks work and marital stability. Two studies of 'nondelinquents', age-matched with institutionalized delinquents, are reported. Findings indicate that the 'nondelinquent' group is, in fact, delinquent. The main difference between the two groups is in parental background, particularly in areas such as occupation and level of education. Finally, Britain's 'creation' of delinquency and delinquency control policy in Nigeria is described, and the gap between this policy and the reality of the problem is assessed. Problems with the Children and Young Persons Law, including its incoherency and inconsistency are addressed. The need for this law to be replaced with another system of control that takes into account patterns of delinquency, attributes of delinquents, and prevailing community values is cited. Eight notes, 17 references, and 4 tables are provided.