THE ROLE OF THE POLICE IS IDENTIFIED AS BEING CENTRAL TO THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS ARGUED THAT THE EXCESSIVE RATE OF REFERRAL TO JUVENILE COURTS RESULTS FROM THEIR COMPLEX SCREENING AND DISPOSITIONAL FUNCTIONS, THEIR LACK OF TRAINING, THE VOLUME OF CASES, PRESSURES OF TIME, AND THE RESTRICTED RANGE OF DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVES. A MODEL PROGRAM IS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO REFERRAL FOR COMPULSORY LEGAL INTERVENTION. THE PROGRAM, AS DESIGNED, PROVIDES FOR REFERRAL, ASSESSMENT, AND PREVENTIVE INTERVENTION, PREJUDICIALLY, AT THE POINT OF POLICE CONTACT. THE POPULATION TO BE SERVED IS IDENTIFIED AS THOSE ADOLESCENTS AND FAMILIES WHO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE POLICE AND WHO ARE IDENTIFIED BY THEM AS IN NEED OF ASSESSMENT AND/OR INTERVENTION. THE METHOD FOR DEVELOPING A COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE CENTER IS DESCRIBED. THE PROGRAM DESCRIPTION FOCUSES ON THE FOLLOWING MAJOR AREAS: (1) THE REFERRAL PROCESS, (2) THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS, (3) THE DISPOSITION AND FEEDBACK PROCESS, (4) THE INTERVENTION PROCESS, AND (5) THE CONSULTATION PROCESS. THE METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR ESTABLISHING INTERDEPENDENCE AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN PROGRAM STAFF AND POLICE AGENCY PERSONNEL ARE SPECIFIED, ALONG WITH AN EVALUATION APPROACH. THE MODEL'S POTENTIAL BENEFICIAL EFFECTS AND APPLICATIONS ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PREJUDICIAL INTERVENTION AND THE PROGRAM AS A BASIS FOR LEGISLATIVE REFORM. VARIOUS DATA COLLECTION FORMS ARE APPENDED, ALONG WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--KBL)