Both jurisdictions were located in a southwestern State with high levels of poverty. The rural jurisdiction contained a small town of less than 16,000 population; the other jurisdiction had a population slightly above 100,000. Data were collected by means of interviews of 13 juvenile probation and parole officers and judges and through a quantitative analysis of official records from 1994. The jurisdictions differed in their decision-making patterns. The rural jurisdiction had more formal processing and detention of juveniles than did the non-rural jurisdiction. In addition, the quantitative analysis indicated that race was not a significant factor in decisions in either jurisdiction, whereas the juvenile probation and parole officers in the rural jurisdiction indicated that both race and social class influenced their detention decisions. Tables, endnotes, and appended offense charge category descriptions (Author abstract modified)