A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW OF JUVENILE COURT ORGANIZATION AND DECISIONMAKING AND A REVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF COUNTY-LEVEL JUVENILE COURT SERVICES IN CALIFORNIA ARE PRESENTED. THREE COURT SERVICE DEVELOPMENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN AN UNSPECIFIED COUNTY OVER A 15-YEAR PERIOD ARE ANALYZED: A BOYS' TREATMENT CENTER (A COUNTY RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE TO STATE REFORMATORIES); PROBATION SUBSIDY (AN INTENSIVE HOME SUPERVISION ALTERNATIVE TO REFORMATORIES); AND DIVERSION (A 'WHOLE-FAMILY' TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE TO FORMAL HANDLING BY THE JUVENILE COURT). EACH DEVELOPMENT IS EXAMINED IN TERMS OF ITS ORIGIN, THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION, AND ITS IMPACT ON COURT DECISIONMAKING. THE ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THAT THE COUNTY JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM LACKS CONSENSUS ON GOALS, PRACTICES, AND CLIENTELE. THE TREATMENT SERVICES DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO THE ORGANIZATION'S PERCEPTION OF CLIENT NEED RATHER THAN TO EXPLICIT CLIENT NEEDS. THE SERVICE DEVELOPMENTS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF OPPORTUNITY, INTERACTION, AND EXCHANGE INVOLVING THE COUNTY COURT SYSTEM, OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE SERVICE DEVELOPMENTS HAS BEEN A SIZEABLE INCREASE IN THE COURT'S CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM YOUTHS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THIS INCREASE WAS INFLUENCED GREATLY BY CONSCIOUSLY DESIGNED STATE AND FEDERAL POLICIES AND CENTRALIZED FUNDING. LOCAL AUTONOMY HAS BEEN REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE COUNTY'S DEPENDENCE ON CENTRALIZED FUNDS, WHILE COORDINATION AMONG LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS HAS INCREASED. OVERALL, A SUBSTANTIALLY EXPANDED CORRECTIONAL NETWORK AND CONTROL CAPACITY HAVE EVOLVED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)