A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ILLUSTRATES THAT THE CONCEPT OF BROKEN HOMES, NO MATTER HOW DEFINED OR MEASURED, HAS LITTLE EXPLANATORY POWER IN TERMS OF DELINQUENCY. SINCE, FOR THE MOST PART, THE STUDIES EXAMINED HERE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTIES BOTH IN DEFINING AND MEASURING THE BROKEN HOME CONCEPT AND IN CONTROLLING FOR SIGNIFICANT VARIABLES, SUCH AS AGE AT TIME OF THE BREAK AND SUBSEQUENT ARRANGEMENTS AFTER THE BREAK, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO RULE OUT COMPLETELY THE FACTOR OF BROKEN HOMES AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ETIOLOGY OF DEVIANT TENDENCIES. UNTIL THESE PROBLEMS ARE RESOLVED, THE RELEVANCE OF BROKEN HOMES TO DELINQUENCY IS NOT DISPROVEN. THE MOST THAT CAN BE SAID IS THAT THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE THESIS THAT THE BROKEN HOME IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DELINQUENCY TENDENCIES. TABULAR DATA AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KBL)