THE FIRST CONFERENCE, HELD IN MARCH 1975 BY THE YOUTH SERVICES DIVISION OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, STEMMED FROM AN EL PASO, TEX., REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF JUVENILE ALIENS COMMITTING CRIMES IN TEXAS AND RETURNING TO THE MEXICAN SIDE OF THE BORDER WITHOUT PROSECUTION. ISSUES OF PROVISION OF HEALTH AND OTHER SERVICES TO ILLEGAL JUVENILE ALIENS AND HUMANITARIAN TREATMENT OF THE YOUTHS WHEN THEY ARE APPREHENDED WERE ALSO RAISED. A STUDY GATHERED INFORMATION ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, MEXICAN ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS, PRESENT CASE DISPOSITIONS, AND LEGAL QUESTIONS. AN OVERVIEW OF THE FINDINGS PRESENTED WERE PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS OF THE FIRST CONFERENCE, WHICH CONCLUDED WITH FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELATIONS BETWEEN LOCAL U.S. AND MEXICAN AUTHORITIES TO FACILITATE TRANSFERRING JUVENILE ALIENS IN CUSTODY AND ENCOURAGING PROSECUTION. IT WAS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE INTERSTATE CONFERENCE INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM MEXICO. THE TEXAS YOUTH SERVICES DIVISION ORGANIZED THE RESULTING JUVENILE ALIENS BORDERLANDS CONFERENCE, HELD IN OCTOBER 1975. THE EFFICACY OF THE CONFERENCE IN HELPING PARTICIPANTS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM WAS EVALUATED WITH A PRECONFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE TO TEST THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE MATTER AND A POSTCONFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEASURE PARTICIPANTS' OPINIONS OF THE CONFERENCE AND THEIR ATTITUDE CHANGE. OF THE 371 PERSONS INVITED, 102 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED AND 83 PROVIDED USABLE POSTCONFERENCE RESPONSES; 35 PERSONS COMPLETED BOTH INSTRUMENTS. ONLY 15.3 PERCENT THOUGHT THAT THE CONFERENCE WAS OF LITTLE OR NO VALUE. RECOMMENDATIONS ARE LISTED BY THEIR PRIORITY. GREATEST EMPHASIS WAS GIVEN TO RESTRICTING ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES THROUGH MORE STRINGENT IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS OR LAWS; E.G., MORE PUNITIVE SENTENCES AND ENDING VOLUNTARY DEPORTATION. ALSO RECOMMENDED WERE DEVELOPING A FOUR-STATE BORDER COMPACT FOR ACTION ON THE PROBLEM, PROVIDING SPECIAL FUNDS FOR BORDER SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO BALANCE THE EXTRA BURDEN IMPOSED BY ALIENS IN THESE AREAS, SUPPORTING THE RODINO BILL (IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES) MAKING IT ILLEGAL FOR AMERICANS TO HIRE ILLEGAL ALIENS, REDUCING CERTAIN TARIFF RESTRICTIONS ON IMPORTS FROM MEXICO TO ENCOURAGE TRADE AND IMPROVE MEXICAN ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, AND OBTAINING U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HELP IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM AND IN NEGOTIATING WITH THE MEXICAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES ARE TABULATED, AS ARE PRIORITY RANKINGS OF RECOMMENDATIONS. AN OVERVIEW OF THE CONFERENCE DESIGN, FINAL REMARKS OF THE SESSION LEADERS, AND THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS ARE INCLUDED. (MPL)