TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED FOR THE FOLLOWING: (1) WARDS UNDER COMMITMENT, 1978; (2) COMPARATIVE POPULATION MOVEMENTS OF WARDS, 1977 AND 1978; (3) INSTITUTIONAL ADMISSIONS AND DEPARTURES, 1978; (4) SUMMARY OF PAROLE CASELOADS, 1977 AND 1978; (5) PAROLE CASELOAD, 1978; (6) SUMMARY OF PAROLE VIOLATIONS, 1977 AND 1978; (7) DISPOSITION OF VIOLATION ACTIONS BY TYPE OF VIOLATION, 1978; (8) MEAN LENGTH OF STAY IN INSTITUTIONS PRIOR TO RELEASE ON PAROLE BY INSTITUTION OF RELEASE, 1977 AND 1978; (9) MEAN LENGTH OF STAY ON PAROLE PRIOR TO REMOVAL, 1977 AND 1978; AND (10) FIRST COMMITMENTS, 1966-1978, BY SEX, COMMITTING COURT, AND RATE PER 100,000 YOUTH POPULATION. TOTAL YOUTH AUTHORITY POPULATION AS OF THE 1978 CALENDAR YEAR WAS 11,686 WARDS, A DECREASE OF 3 PERCENT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. WARDS IN INSTITUTIONS TOTALED 4,741, UP CONSIDERABLY FROM THE 4,095 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. WARDS ON PAROLE DECREASED FROM 7,704 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO 6,700 AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THERE WERE 3,775 FIRST ADMISSIONS DURING 1978, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 4 PERCENT OVER THOSE ADMITTED IN 1977. THE NUMBER OF PAROLE VIOLATORS RETURNED TO INSTITUTIONS IN 1978 WAS 1,142, COMPARED TO 1,111 WARDS RETURNED IN 1977. THE NUMBER RELEASED TO PAROLE DECREASED BY 10 PERCENT FROM 4,340 IN 1977 TO 3,926 IN 1978. THE INSTITUTIONAL LENGTH OF STAY FOR 1978 WAS 11.3 MONTHS, UP FROM 10.9 MONTHS IN 1977. PAROLE LENGTH OF STAY INCREASED DURING 1978 TO JUST OVER 20 MONTHS, AS COMPARED TO 19.2 MONTHS IN 1977. THE COMMITMENT RATE PER 100,000 YOUTH POPULATION CLIMBED FROM 86 TO 90 COMMITMENTS FROM 1977 TO 1978. (RCB)