IN 1976, THERE WERE 5,827 STATUS OFFENDERS REFERRED TO JUVENILE COURTS, INCLUDING 3,575 IN THE STATE'S 4 METROPOLITAN COUNTIES AND 2,252 IN NONMETROPOLITAN COUNTIES. THE REFERRAL RATE FOR THE STATE'S WHITE JUVENILE POPULATION WAS HALF THAT FOR THE NONWHITE POPULATION. REASONS FOR REFERRAL WERE RUNNING AWAY (39.4 PERCENT OF ALL REFERRALS), TRUANCY (23.7 PERCENT), UNGOVERNABLE BEHAVIOR (15.4 PERCENT), POSSESSING OR DRINKING LIQUOR (499 REFERRALS), AND VIOLATION OF CURFEW (5.1 PERCENT). RACE, SEX, AGE, AND URBAN-RURAL BREAKDOWNS ARE PRESENTED FOR THE REFERRAL CATEGORIES. SHORTCOMINGS OF DATA ON THE PREDISPOSITION CARE OF STATUS OFFENDERS ARE POINTED OUT. AVAILABLE DATA SHOW THAT 68.5 PERCENT OF REPORTED STATUS OFFENDER REFERRALS WERE DETAINED OVERNIGHT, WHEREAS 24.9 PERCENT WERE DETAINED OVERNIGHT OR LONGER, PRIMARILY IN DETENTION CENTERS IN URBAN COUNTIES AND IN JAILS OR POLICE STATIONS IN RURAL COUNTIES. IT IS NOTED THAT AVAILABLE DATA ON DISPOSITION AND AFTERCARE REVEAL LITTLE ABOUT STATUS OFFENDERS. ALTHOUGH IT IS POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF STATUS REFERRALS TO THE COURTS, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER A REFERRAL RESULTS IN A FINAL SUBSTANTIATED COMPLAINT OF STATUS OFFENSE, MISCREANCY, OR DELINQUENCY. (LKM)