CURRENT TRENDS OF THOUGHT CONCERNING THE STATUS OFFENDER ARE CATEGORIZED INTO THREE SCHOOLS: 1) THOSE ADVOCATING A TRADITIONAL MANNER OF HANDLING STATUS OFFENSE CASES; 2) THOSE SUPPORTING A DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE STATUS OFFENDER; AND 3) THOSE DESIRING A TOTAL DECRIMINALIZATION OF THE STATUS OFFENSE. THE AUTHOR BELIEVES THAT THE MAJORITY OF SUPPORT IS FOR THE LATTER TWO POSITIONS. IT IS NOTED THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SCARCITY OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH JUSTIFYING MOVEMENT IN THESE DIRECTIONS. THE LABELING PROCESS, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO UNDERLIE THE IMPETUS FOR CHANGE, IS CONSIDERED TO BE UNSUBSTANTIATED BY RESEARCH. IT IS HELD THAT THE MOVEMENT TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZE IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE HAS BEEN PREDICATED UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN 1967, SOME UNPROVEN THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS, AND THE EMOTIONAL ARGUMENTS WHICH HAVE GROWN FROM A COMBINATION OF THE TWO. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT NO CHANGES BE MADE UNTIL VARIOUS RESEARCH STUDIES AND PILOT PROJECTS OFFER A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE OF VALIDATION JUSTIFYING PARTICULAR CHANGES. (RCB)