The Young Offenders Act, which took effect on January 1, 1994, introduced substantial changes to both the philosophy and structure of juvenile justice in South Australia. It abolished Screening Panels and Children's Aid Panels and in their police introduced a two-tiered system of pre-court diversion that consists of police cautioning and family conferencing. It also established the Youth Court of South Australia, which is designed to deal with the most serious offenders and long-term recidivists. The conceptual underpinnings of the system also changed, with a stronger emphasis on holding youth accountable for their behavior, on imposing penalties of sufficient severity to act as a deterrent, on increasing victims' access to reparation, and on ensuring greater community protection. Toward this end, the sentencing options available were strengthened. This review of the implementation of this legislation in South Australia involved a quantitative overview of the system, so as to identify the number and personal characteristics of juveniles being processed, the types of offenses involved, the methods of processing used, and the outcomes recorded. It also provides a descriptive account of how the processes and procedures within the system are operating, as well as a preliminary assessment of whether the system is achieving at least some of its aims and objectives. Recommendations are offered for improving the system's operation. 137 tables, 22 figures, and 26 references