GROWING PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF ADOLESCENT ABUSE PROVIDES THE CONTEXT FOR THIS STUDY. THE EXAMINATION OF CASE RECORDS OF 100 CHILDREN AND 109 ADOLESCENTS SERVED BY DOUGLAS COUNTY, NEB., CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SURFACED SEVERAL FINDINGS. FIRST, TWO PATTERNS OF ADOLESCENT MISTREATMENT ARE APPARENT. ONE INVOLVES CASES WHERE MISTREATMENT BEGAN IN CHILDHOOD AND SIMPLY CONTINUES INTO ADOLESCENCE. THE OTHER INVOLVES ONSET OF ABUSE AT ADOLESCENCE. THE FORMER TYPE RESEMBLES CHILD MALTREATMENT CASES: CONCENTRATIONS ARE IN LOW-INCOME, HIGH-RISK FAMILIES. THE LATTER MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE GENERAL POPULATION ON ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC MEASURES, AND IT MAY REPRESENT A MORE 'PSYCHOLOGICAL' PHENOMENON. EMOTIONAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE PLAY A LARGER ROLE IN THE LATTER THAN THE FORMER. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THE NEED TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT SERVICES TO ABUSED ADOLESCENTS DEPENDENT ON THEIR CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE. TABLES, REFERENCE NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)