VARIOUS THEORIES HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY BUT NO ONE THEORY OR METHOD OF TREATMENT IS ADEQUATE TO DEAL WITH THE COMPLEX PATTERNS OF DELINQUENCY. THE SCOPE OF DELINQUENCY IS CONSIDERED, AND THE DELINQUENT ACTIVITY OF JUVENILES IS SHOWN TO BE INCREASING IN COMPARISON TO THEIR REPRESENTATION IN THE GENERAL POPULATION. THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF DELINQUENCY DEPENDS UPON THE MANDATED AGE OF MATURITY AND ADULT RESPONSIBILITY IN VARIOUS STATES. CLASSIFICATIONS OF JUVENILES PROCESSED BY THE JUVENILE SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED UNDER THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTIONS: THE DEPENDENT-NEGLECTED, OR ABUSED YOUTH; THE PREDELINQUENT, OR YOUTH SHOWING DELINQUENT TENDENCIES; AND THE DELINQUENT, ACCUSED OF ACTS WHICH ARE CRIMES IF PERPETRATED BY AN ADULT. THE GENERAL COURT STRUCTURE OF THE JUVENILE SYSTEM AND ITS CENTRAL PERSONNEL ARE DESCRIBED. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JUVENILE PROBATION AND THE COURT IS DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH THE PROCEDURE OF PROBATION INTAKE. PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH JUVENILE DETENTION (I.E., CONFINEMENT WITHOUT TREATMENT) ARE IDENTIFIED. THE LEGAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JUVENILE COURT HEARING AND ITS EVOLUTION FROM AN INFORMAL HEARING TO A PROCEEDING SIMILAR TO CRIMINAL TRIALS ARE DESCRIBED. FACTORS CONSIDERED IN DISPOSITIONAL DECISIONMAKING AND THE CURRENT CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE STATUS OFFENDER ARE DISCUSSED. (RCB)