Like these approaches, the socio-legal response addresses community risk, accountability to the victim and the community, and services designed to help juveniles become productive and law abiding; however, it adds another new and necessary element; it helps pave the way for juveniles to re- enter society. The socio-legal response embraces the belief that children are responsible to themselves, their families, and the community. It recognizes the relationship between the social- needs arena and the legal domain. The juvenile justice system is unique because it integrates both. The jurisdiction of the juvenile court to prescribe services or consequences depends on children acknowledging their responsibility for their particular crimes; therefore, society's response to the children is a socio- legal response. Inherent in the socio-legal response are the abilities of service providers and legal representatives to work together in a cooperative and collaborative venture. Such an effort enables communities to develop meaningful programs and maximize limited resources. The first step in the socio-legal response is to assess each case and provide a level of supervision by the court. Next, the assessment process identifies children's service needs and develops a plan to help them become productive and law abiding. Components of the plan include family, drug abuse, and anger-management counseling, as well as life-skill education and cognitive development. Youth must perform restitution and community service work. This compensates the victim and addresses the fact that the offender also has victimized the community. Some "avenues" for implementing the socio-legal response are suggested. 9 references