The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 was a response to the suggestion that the identification process operating within the juvenile court setting (either arrest or referral from parent, citizen, school) which labeled youths as deviant might contribute to delinquency by providing a negative self-image to which youths would seek to conform. The Act also recognized that institutionalization of youths, especially status offenders, was not rehabilitative and that community-based programs were more humane, effective, and less expensive. However, West Virginia continued to incarcerate status offenders until July 1977, when the State's code was amended to make instant incarceration illegal. Much of the opposition to this and subsequent legislation was generated by law enforcement officials, especially rural judges and police officers who were inconvenienced by restrictions on where juveniles could be held and how quickly hearings had to take place. Even where alternatives existed, officials resisted using them and residential shelters for runaways received few referrals directly from the court or police. Community-based agencies providing services to children and families in crisis to forestall youths' ensnarement in the juvenile justice system operate only in West Virginia's urban areas. Proposed State delinquency prevention plans concentrate on expensive specialized services (day treatment, foster care) for a small number of youths and on projects that reflect the predilections of agencies and institutions rather than the needs of troubled juveniles. The crucial goal of separating juveniles from the adult criminal population and decriminalizing status offenders remains unresolved. Committed citizen support is needed for a variety of community-based, youth-oriented efforts. Footnotes containing references are included.