THIS STUDY FOCUSED ON THREE RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) WHO ARE THE YOUTH PROCESSED THROUGH THE JUVENILE COURT; (2) WHAT ARE THE SOCIAL, LEGAL, AND ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS THAT SELECTIVELY INFLUENCE THESE THREE DECISIONMAKING PATTERNS IN THE JUVENILE COURT; AND (3) WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE JUVENILE COURT AND THE COURT CLINIC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES, AGENCIES IN THE COURT'S WORKING ENVIRONMENT? BASIC QUESTIONS EXAMINED IN RELATION TO THREE DISTINCT DECISIONMAKING PROCESSES ARE ADJUDICATION, MENTAL HEALTH REFERRAL, AND DISPOSITION. YOUTH COMPRISING THE JUVENILE COURT POPULATION INVOLVED YOUTH PROCESSED JUDICIALLY, YOUTH PROCESSED NONJUDICIALLY, AND CHILDREN IN NEED OF SERVICES (CHINS). MULTIPLE REGRESSION WAS THE PRIMARY STATISTICAL TOOL. IT WAS FOUND THAT 43 PERCENT OF THE CASES BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COURT WERE PROPERTY OFFENSES AND 17 PERCENT WERE STATUS OFFENSES. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF YOUTH PROCESSED THROUGH THE COURT WERE GIVEN THE LEAST SEVERE DISPOSITIONAL ALTERNATIVES (87 PERCENT). FOR THE ADJUDICATION DECISION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE STRONGEST EFFECTS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH A HISTORY OF DELINQUENCY AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE. FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH DECISION, IT WAS FOUND THAT TYPE OF OFFENSE, THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE, AND THE NUMBER OF PRIOR COURT REFERRALS ASSOCIATED MOST HIGHLY. FOR THE CASE DISPOSITION DECISION, THE STRONGEST EFFECTS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH A HISTORY OF PRIOR ADJUDICATIONS, THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE, AND THE NUMBER OF PRIOR COURT REFERRALS. FINALLY, IT IS NOTED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE JUVENILE COURT AND OTHER WORKING AGENCIES WAS FRAGMENTARY AND UNORGANIZED. TABLES, CHARTS, AND LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (MLC)