SINCE ITS CREATION IN 1969, DYS BEEN COMMITTED TO THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION AND REGIONALIZATION OF TREATMENT FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS, PROVIDING SERVICES THROUGH A SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS. DYS HAS ALWAYS RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR SMALL SECURE UNITS FOR SERIOUS JUVENILE OFFENDERS, BUT THERE HAS BEEN PUBLIC DEMAND FOR GREATER ATTENTION TO THE ISSUE OF SECURE CARE. IN RESPONSE TO THAT DEMAND, A TASK FORCE HEADED BY THE ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL EXAMINED THE ISSUE OF SERIOUS JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND SECURE DETENTION IN AN 18-MONTH INVESTIGATION, DIVIDING ITS EFFORT INTO THE GENERAL PROBLEM AREAS OF DATA, DEFINITIONS, SECURE DETENTION, SECURE TREATMENT, AND FEMALE OFFENDERS. THE TASK FORCE IDENTIFIED THE POPULATION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS WHO REQUIRED SECURE FACILITIES, ASSESSED FACILITY AND PROGRAM NEEDS. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS WERE DETERMINED TO BE CRITICAL IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR SERIOUS JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN SECURE FACILITIES: (1) SMALL INSTITUTIONAL POPULATIONS (NOT TO EXCEED 12 TO 15 YOUTHS; (2) LOW-PROFILE SECURITY MEASURES; (3) SPECIFIC, COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS TO GOVERN THE ENTIRE SECURE-CARE PROCESS; (4) PROCEDURES AND FUNDS TO ASSURE STAFF QUALITY AND COMPETENCE; AND (5) IMPROVEMENTS IN THE OVERALL MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF DYS. IN ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, THE TASK FORCE NOTED THAT RESOURCES FOR SECURE PROGRAMS SHOULD NOT BE INCREASED AT THE EXPENSE OF NONSECURE PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THE NEED FOR SECURE PLACEMENT OFTEN RESULTS FROM THE ABSENCE OR INADEQUACY OF LESS COSTLY, POTENTIALLY MORE EFFECTIVE, NONSECURE PROGRAMS.