STUDY SUBJECTS WERE INMATES AT A STATE CORRECTIONAL YOUTH CAMP. THEIR AGES RANGED FROM 13 TO 17 YEARS, 85 PERCENT WERE WHITE, AND LENGTH OF STAY RANGED FROM 155 TO 325 DAYS. OFFENSES RANGED FROM TRUANCY AND RUNNING AWAY TO ASSAULT AND ARMED ROBBERY. LOW SCORES ON A QUESTIONNAIRE INDEX OF DESIRE FOR RELEASE WERE RELATED SIGNIFICANTLY TO LESS STABLE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS (PARENT ABSENT FROM HOME, PARENTAL ABUSE/REJECTION), MORE PESSIMISTIC EVALUATIONS OF HOME BY SUBJECTS, GREATER LIKELIHOOD OF PREVIOUS INSTITUTIONALIZATION, AND PREDOMINANCE OF TRUANCY/RUNAWAY OFFENSES. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EXTRAINSTITUTIONAL VARIABLES IN UNDERSTANDING THE JUVENILE DELINQUENT'S MOTIVATION FOR RELEASE. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)