THE HISTORY OF COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PARALLELS WESTERN CIVILIZATION'S HANDLING OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. MANY OF THE MODERN-DAY ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT, SUCH AS PROBATION, PRETRIAL RELEASE, WORK RELEASE, RESTITUTION, AND PAROLE, WERE OUTGROWTHS OF SOCIETY'S CONCERN ABOUT ITS TREATMENT OF YOUNG OFFENDERS. THE IOWA JUVENILE COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS PROGRAM INCLUDES FAMILY COUNSELING WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COURT STRUCTURE. A SPECIALLY TRAINED FAMILY COUNSELOR IS PART OF THE POLK COUNTY JUVENILE COURT STAFF, AND SIX AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY OFFER FAMILY COUNSELING AND FAMILY THERAPY SERVICES, EITHER AS PART OF A BROAD RANGE OF SERVICES OR AS THE SOLE SERVICE OF A PARTICULAR AGENCY. THE YOUTH GUIDANCE PROGAM, A SERVICE SOLELY FOR THE POLK COUNTY JUVENILE COURT, IS A 5-WEEK EVENING PROGRAM IN WHICH GROUPS OF REFERRED JUVENILES UNDERGO TRAINING AIMED AT DEVELOPING A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY. SEVERAL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE IN CENTAL IOWA. STILL AT THE EXPLORATORY STAGE IS A PROGRAM TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIET THERAPY FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS WHOSE BEHAVIOR IS APPARENTLY AFFECTED BY THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF CERTAIN FOODS OR BY AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO SPECIFIC FOODS OR ADDITIVES. THE EMPLOYMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING RESTITUTION TO THEIR VICTIMS OR RETURNING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY IF VICTIMS DID NOT INCUR LOSS. VOLUNTEERS SUPERVISED BY PROBATION OFFICERS ARE ENGAGED IN ONE-TO-ONE FRIENDSHIP EXPERIENCES WITH TROUBLED JUVENILES. PLANNING IS UNDERWAY FOR 'SCARED STRAIGHT' EXPERIMENT WITH JUVENILES VISITING ADULT PRISONS FOR EXPOSURE TO THE HARSH REALITIES OF PRISON LIFE AND FOR MOTIVATION TO AVOID CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)