THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE IS TRACED FROM EARLY HISTORY (I.E., 1000 B.C. TO 600 A.D.) THROUGH THE EARLY AMERICAN EXPERIENCE AND ON INTO THE MODERN ERA. CAUSAL THEORIES OF DELINQUENCY ARE DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH THE ROLE OF CLASSIFICATION, DIAGNOSTIC PRACTICES AND TRENDS, AND DEVIANT, DEFECTIVE, AND DISABLED DELINQUENTS. THE ELEMENTS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE EXAMINED, WITH ATTENTION TO THE FUNCTION OF THE POLICE, THE ROLE OF THE COURT, AND USE OF SUCH RESPONSES AS PROBATION, GROUP HOME CONFINEMENT, FOSTER HOME CARE, ADOPTION, FORMAL INSTITUTIONALIZATION, AND PAROLE. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ALSO DISCUSSED. FINALLY, CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM ARE OUTLINED, WITH REGARD TO THE LEGAL RIGHTS OF JUVENILES, DELINQUENCY PREVENTION INITIATIVES, AND JUVENILE DIVERSION. A GENERAL SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW OF THE EXISTING STATE OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM CONCLUDES THE VOLUME. AN INDEX IS INCLUDED. REVIEW QUESTIONS AND REFERENCE NOTES ARE PROVIDED FOR EACH CHAPTER. (KBL)