DIVERSION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS TO COMMUNITY-BASED FACILITIES, THEIR COMMITMENT TO COUNTY INSTITUTIONS, AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES MAY PARTIALLY ACCOUNT FOR THE POPULATION DECREASE IN JUVENILE INSTITUTIONS. NEVERTHELESS, THE JUVENILE CRIME RATE TRIPLED BETWEEN 1960 AND 1975. STATES WITH SERIOUS YOUTH CRIME PROBLEMS, SUCH AS CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ILLINOIS, AND MICHIGAN, HAVE EXPERIENCED SHARP DROPS IN THE JUVENILE INSTITUTION POPULATION. A 10-YEAR NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS PROJECT SHOWED THAT BETWEEN 1970 AND 1974 THERE WAS A 49-PERCENT DROP IN THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES COMMITTED TO COUNTY CAMPS, RANCHES, AND INSTITUTIONS, AND A 36-PERCENT DROP IN COMMITMENTS TO STATE FACILITIES. THE BIRTH OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS WAS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECLINE (23 PERCENT OF YOUTHS COMMITTED TO JUVENILE AUTHORITIES WERE PLACED IN SOME FORM OF GROUP HOME OR OTHER NONINSTITUTIONAL SETTING). THE 1975 LEAA 'CHILDREN IN CUSTODY' REPORT SHOWED A 23-PERCENT INCREASE IN HALFWAY HOUSE AND GROUP HOME POPULATION SINCE 1974. SINCE 1975 THERE HAS BEEN A MOVEMENT TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZE STATUS OFFENDERS. A 1977 NATIONAL CENTER FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE RESEARCH REPORT FOUND THAT AT LEAST 21 STATES LEGALLY PROHIBIT DETENTION OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND 35 PROHIBIT THEIR COMMMITMENT TO CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE GRADUAL SHIFT OF POST-WORLD WAR II BABIES FROM ADOLESCENCE TO ADULTHOOD APPEARS TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DROP IN JUVENILE ARRESTS, BUT POPULATION SHIFTS CANNOT BE HELD TOTALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DECLINING CRIME RATES. ALONG WITH THE REDUCTION IN JUVENILE POPULATIONS, INSTITUTIONS ARE HAVING TO ADJUST TO HANDLING OLDER, TOUGHER OFFENDERS WITH MORE SERIOUS CRIMINAL RECORDS. THE OFFICIAL STATISTICS, IT IS MAINTAINED, DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR A POSSIBLY LARGE NUMBER OF JUVENILES IN LOCAL AND STATE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS AND IN ADULT JAILS. THERE IS SPECULATION THAT DETENTION IS BEING INCREASINGLY USED AS PUNISHMENT. IN 1974-1975, A CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND TEAM FOUND 350 YOUTHS IN ADULT JAILS OF 9 STATES. THE PAPER CONCLUDES WITH A DISCUSSION OF TRANSFERS OF JUVENILES TO ADULT COURTS. (DAG) USED AS PUNISHMENT. IN 1974-1975, A CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND TEAM FOUND 350 YOUTHS IN ADULT JAILS OF 9 STATES. THE PAPER CONCLUDES WITH A DISCUSSION OF TRANSFERS OF JUVENILES TO ADULT COURTS. (DAG)