THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION OF STATUS OFFENDERS (DSO) SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM OF THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AIMED TO (1) REMOVE ALL STATUS OFFENDERS CURRENTLY INCARCERATED IN THE STATE'S THREE JUVENILE TRAINING SCHOOLS AND DIVERT NEW ENTRANTS, (2) DEVELOP COMMUNITY-BASED ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION, AND (3) CHANGE THE LOCAL JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO REDUCE STATUS OFFENDER DETENTION AND ADJUDICATION. THE PROJECT PLAYED A COORDINATING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING ROLE VIS-A-VIS LOCAL COMMUNITIES. ALTERNATIVE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT WAS CATALYZED THROUGH APPLICATION OF SUBCONTRACT FUNDS AND PROVISION OF ORGANIZATIONAL, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PLANNING SUPPORT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES. IN ADDITION TO LOCAL PLANNING AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT, THE PROJECT FOCUSED ON REMOVAL OF STATUS OFFENDERS FROM THE STATE TRAINING SCHOOLS. FROM JANUARY 1976 THROUGH JUNE 4, 1978, PROJECT EFFORTS HAVE INFLUENCED THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: (1) AN INCREASE IN THE AVAILABILITY OF COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES FOR TROUBLED YOUTH, (2) INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF A STATE-LEVEL POWER BASE FOR COMMUNITY-BASED YOUTH PROGRAMMING, (3) ADOPTION OF LEGISLATION PROHIBITING STATE COMMITMENT OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND LIMITING LOCAL DETENTION, AND (4) A FIFTEEN PERCENT DECLINE OF COMMITMENTS TO THE STATE YOUTH SERVICE SYSTEM. IMPLICATIONS OF THE ARKANSAS EXPERIENCE POINT OUT THAT A DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION EFFORT NEEDS STRONG SUPPORT AT STATE GOVERNMENT'S HIGHEST LEVELS, FLEXIBLE FUNDING OPTIONS, ADVANCE PLANNING DEVOTED TO CONTINUATION FUNDING IF NEW SERVICE DEVELOPMENT IS TO HAVE A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION STRATEGY, CAREFUL TAILORING TO THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOST JURISDICTION, AND A STATE BUREAUCRACY WITH SUFFICIENT FLEXIBILITY TO FORM A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL COURTS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)