THE GROUP WORK APPROACH IS BASED ON THE SOCIAL WORK VALUE OF RESPECT FOR THE DIGNITY OF EACH HUMAN BEING IN THE GROUP AND FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE GROUP. FOUR IMPORTANT QUALITIES OF THE APPROACH ARE THAT IT IS HUMANISTIC, DEVELOPMENTAL, REALITY-ORIENTED, AND ACTION-ORIENTED. SINCE PROBATION AND AFTERCARE PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED TO ASSIST YOUTH, THE UTILIZATION OF GROUPS IN WORKING WITH THIS AGE BRACKET CAN BE HIGHLY ADVANTAGEOUS. YOUTH HAVE STRONG NEEDS TO BELONG TO A REFERENCE GROUP AND THE CONCEPT OF A THERAPEUTIC GROUP PROVIDES AN IDEAL MEANS BY WHICH TO CORRECT OR IMPROVE YOUTH BEHAVIOR. A PROFESSIONALLY CONDUCTED REFERENCE GROUP CAN CREATE ITS OWN STANDARDS, VALUES, AND BEHAVIOR PATTERNS. THESE MAY EXERT PRESSURE ON GROUP MEMBERS TO COMFORM AND TO EXPERIENCE CONFLICT BETWEEN OLD AND NEW FORMS OF BEHAVIOR AND VALUES. THE GROUP WORK APPROACH CAN GUIDE YOUTH IN RELATION TO SUPPORT AND ACCEPTANCE, VENTILATION RELEASE, AND SELF-ASSESSMENT. CONSIDERATIONS IN THE FORMATION OF A GROUP AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES AND WORKER ACTIVITIES ARE DETAILED. EXPERIMENTAL EXERCISES AND NONVERBAL TECHNIQUES ARE DESCRIBED, AS WELL AS GROUP TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS IN DEALING WITH VARIOUS SITUATIONS. DIFFERENTIAL USES OF GROUPS, ETHICAL GUIDELINES IN GROUP WORK WITH YOUTH, TEAM TEACHING, AND SOCIAL WORK ARE COVERED. CASE STUDIES OF THE USE OF THE 'FISHBOWL TECHNIQUE' WITH INMATES AT THE EL RENO (OKLAHOMA) FEDERAL REFORMATORY AND OF GROUP THERAPY AT THE TULSA BOYS HOME (TULSA, OKLA.) ARE PRESENTED. A SECTION CONSIDERS SOCIAL WORK WITH NATIVE AMERICANS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED IN SOME CHAPTERS. (DP)