THE PROBLEMS OF JUVENILE COURTS INCLUDE EXCESSIVE WORKLOADS, A PAUCITY OF TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES, AND COERCIVE, STIGMATIZING FEATURES. COURTS ARE NOT THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES, AND SHOULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR TREATMENT OF JUVENILES. WAYS MUST BE FOUND, THEREFORE, TO DIVERT LESS SERIOUS DELINQUENTS AWAY FROM THE COURTS. DIVERSION MUST LIMIT YOUTHS PENETRATION INTO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND TRANSFER THE YOUTH TO SOME AGENCY OR PERSON OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM. A WIDE VARIETY OF DELINQUENTS SHOULD BE DIVERTED OUT OF THE SYSTEM AFTER INITIAL POLICE APPREHENSION, AT COURT INTAKE, AND PRIOR TO ADJUDICATION. EVALUATIONS OF CURRENT DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN THE U.S. HAVE OFFERED NO SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION ON THE SUCCESS OF DIVERSION IN REHABILITATING JUVENILES OR ON THE RELATIVE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS PROGRAMS. MOST OF THE STUDIES WERE EITHER TOO AMBIGUOUS, SHORT TERM, USED INSUFFICIENT NUMBERS OF SUBJECTS, OR WERE CONDUCTED OVER AN EXTREMELY BRIEF PERIOD, AND FAILED TO EMPLOY MEASURE OF PROGRAM EFFECT OTHER THAN GROSS RECIDIVISM. IT IS APPARENT THAT A LARGE-SCALE, SOPHISTICATED STUDY OF DIVERSION PROGRAMS IS NEEDED. A PAPER ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR, THE FLOW OF YOUTHS THROUGH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND LEAA'S DISCRETIONARY PROGRAM RATIONALE BEHIND LEAA'S DISCRETIONARY FUNDING PROGRAM FOR DIVERSIONARY PROJECTS ARE APPENDED.