THE VENTURA COUNTY RESTITUTION PROJECT INTENDS TO REDUCE JUVENILE RECIDIVISM THROUGH INCREASED JUVENILE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF JOB SKILLS REQUIRED TO EARN MONEY FOR RESTITUTION PAYMENTS, WHILE INCREASING VICTIM AND COMMUNITY SATISFACTION WITH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. CONTACT BETWEEN THE VICTIMS AND THE OFFENDERS IS ENCOURAGED SO THE OFFENDER CAN KNOW THE VICTIM AS ONE WHO HAS SUFFERED. DURING THE FIRST 90 DAYS ON PROBATION UNDER THE PROGRAM, JUVENILES UNDERGO STRICT SUPERVISION DURING WHICH TIME THEIR POTENTIAL FOR PAID EMPLOYMENT IS ASSESSED AND REFERRALS TO EMPLOYERS MAY BE MADE. IF EMPLOYMENT SKILLS ARE LACKING, ASSISTANCE AND COUNSELING ARE PROVIDED. THOSE UNABLE TO FIND WORK OR WHO ARE TOO YOUNG FOR PAID EMPLOYMENT ARE ASSIGNED TO COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK AND CREDITED AT MINIMUM WAGE SCALE. PROBATION IS NOT TERMINATED UNTIL RESTITUTION IS COMPLETE. THE JUVENILE WORK RELEASE CENTER, A NONSECURE RESIDENCE HOUSING UP TO 20 JUVENILES, ALLOWS THE PROJECT TO INCLUDE JUVENILES WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE BE IMPRISONED. THE VENTURA RESTITUTION PROJECT IS PART OF A 3-YEAR PROJECT FUNDED BY LEAA, WHICH INVOLVES 42 OTHER SITES. THE VENTURA PROJECT IS ONE OF FIVE SITES SELECTED FOR INTENSIVE EVALUATION. THE EVALUATION DESIGN IS DESCRIBED; EVALUATION RESULTS WILL BE PUBLISHED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FUNDING PERIOD (DECEMBER 1981). (RCB)