INFORMATION ON THE CURRENT STATE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE IN AMERICA IS DRAWN FROM THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF JUVENILE CORRECTIONS PROJECT, WHICH HAS CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL STUDY OF JUVENILE COURTS AND CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH OBJECTIVE, EMPIRICAL BASES FOR ASSESSING THE RELATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS FOR DIFFERING TYPES OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. WHILE THE PROJECT HAS NOT COMPLETED ITS FIELD DATA COLLECTION AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, INFORMATION GAINED THROUGH NATIONAL CENSUSES AND SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, OTHER RESEARCHERS, AND THE PROJECT'S OWN EXTENSIVE FIELD INVESTIGATIONS CAN BE SUMMARIZED. THE FOLLOWING GENERAL CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN FROM PROJECT INFORMATION: (1) JUVENILE JUSTICE REMAINS AN ANACHRONISTIC LOCAL-GOVERNMENT VEHICLE, OVERWHELMED WITH THE SHORTCOMINGS OF OUR ENTIRE SOCIETY; (2) THE OPERATIONS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE GROSSLY OVERLOADED, DEMONSTRABLY INEFFECTIVE, AND INDIFFERENT TO FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS; (3) COUNTERVAILING DEVELOPMENTS NOW PROVIDE THE BASES FOR POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE ACROSS THE NATION, IF THEIR POSITIVE ELEMENTS CAN BE BROUGHT INTO COMBINED FOCUS; AND (4) THE CHARACTER OF JUVENILE JUSTICE IS CRITICALLY SHAPED BY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, WHICH CAN ESCALATE OR ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT STATUS OFFENDERS (JUVENILES DETAINED FOR BEHAVIOR NOT CRIMINAL FOR ADULTS) NOT BE FORMALLY PROCESSED BY THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. AGENCIES GEARED TO MEET VARIOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF YOUTH SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR JUVENILES HAVING SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS THAT CANNOT BE HANDLED BY THEIR FAMILIES OR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. FORMAL JUVENILE JUSTICE PROCESSING FOR STATUS OFFENDERS HAS BEEN MOSTLY DESTRUCTIVE. INCREASED ROLES FOR YOUTHS IN DECISIONMAKING THAT AFFECTS THEM AND EXPANDED CHOICES IN PROGRAMS THAT DEAL WITH THEM, INCLUDING JUSTICE AGENCIES, ARE ALSO SUGGESTED. (RCB)