IN ADDITION TO DATA OBTAINED FROM A STUDY BY LITT AND COHEN OF 31,323 CHILDREN AGED 8-18 WHO WERE COMMITTED TO NEW YORK CITY JUVENILE CENTERS OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD, THIS STUDY ALSO REPORTS DATA OBTAINED FROM PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS GIVEN TO 223 MALE YOUTHS AGED 14-18 WHO WERE VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMMUNITY TREATMENT-BALTIMORE INTENSIVE PROBATION PROJECT CONDUCTED FROM 1973 TO 1976 BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE SERVICES. ALL YOUTHS IN THE BALTIMORE PROJECT HAD COMMITTED CRIMES INVOLVING AN ACTUAL OR IMPLIED THREAT TO ANOTHER PERSON. NO KNOWN DRUG ABUSERS WERE ACCEPTED. LITT AND COHEN CONDUCTED A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF INCARCERATED YOUTHS THAT COVERED A WIDER AGE RANGE, INCLUDED BOTH SEXES, AND EXCLUDED NO ONE. FOR THESE REASONS, IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ONLY THE GROSSEST COMPARISONS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN THE TWO SETS OF DATA. IT IS CONCLUDED, HOWEVER, THAT TAKEN TOGETHER, THEY REINFORCE THE VIEW THAT MANY YOUTHS WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SUFFER FROM PREEXISTING POOR HEALTH BECAUSE OF LACK OF MEDICAL CARE. THE BALTIMORE STUDY INDICATED THAT 65 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECTS HAD AT LEAST ONE CONDITION THAT NEEDED MEDICAL MANAGEMENT. THIS HIGH PERCENTAGE IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY DISORDERS IN TEETH, VISION, AND HEARING. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE PARTICULAR IMPAIRMENTS AND SCHOOL AND JOB PERFORMANCE IS DRAWN. WHILE REFRAINING FROM DRAWING A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN POOR HEALTH AND DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, IT IS BELIEVED THAT POOR HEALTH CAN CONTRIBUTE TO FAILING PERFORMANCES IN SCHOOL AND ON THE JOB, A FACTOR THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO CORRELATE WITH DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR. IT IS URGED THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ASSUME A PRIORITY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASCERTAINING HEALTH NEEDS AND INSTIGATING TREATMENT FOR YOUTHFUL OFFENDERS. DATA FROM THE BALTIMORE STUDY ARE INCLUDED. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)