Demographic projections of a teenage population explosion, along with a trend in increased juvenile violent crime and prevalent social behaviors that cause violent behavior among youth, are combining to create a teenage "time bomb." The California task force focused on the achievement of four long- term goals to help diffuse this "time bomb." They are the development of public confidence in the juvenile justice system, the enhancement of public safety by reducing juvenile crime and recidivism, the provision of opportunities for juvenile delinquents to experience positive, internalized change, and the prevention of youth from becoming involved in criminal behavior. Most importantly, the task force recommended a change in philosophy. The current dysfunctional philosophy is to be replaced by a balanced approach that encourages equal consideration to community protection, offender accountability, and offender competency development. Recognizing that the factors that contribute to delinquent behavior are rooted in the social experiences of youth from childhood in the family and the community, the task force aims to involve parents, schools, employers, health and social services, religious institutions, law enforcement, local communities, youth service groups, the media, and many State and private agencies that deal with families and juveniles in efforts to diffuse the teenage "time bomb."