THOUGH THE 17 AUTHORS REPRESENTED IN THIS TEXT DIFFER IN GENERAL PHILOSOPHY AND OPTIMISM ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE, THEY ARE ALL CAUTIOUS IN THEIR ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE PREVENTION OR CONTROL OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY, OR HOW MUCH IT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROTECTION OR CORRECTION OF NONDELINQUENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE TRUANT, NEGLECTED, OR GENERALLY INCORRIGIBLE. IN THEIR EFFORT TO DEFINE THE APPROPRIATE GOALS OF THE JUVENILE COURT, THE AUTHORS DISCUSS SUCH QUESTIONS AS WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM? WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH NONJUDICIAL ALTERNATIVES MIGHT BE DEVELOPED? AND WHAT DIRECTIONS SHOULD THE JUVENILE COURT PURSUE IN THE FUTURE? THE TEXT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN SECTIONS. CENTRAL QUESTIONS AND THEMES IN THE FIELD OF JUVENILE JUSTICE ARE EXAMINED IN THE FIRST SECTION, WHILE THE SECOND DEALS WITH A RANGE OF DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING JUVENILE DELINQUENTS. THESE INCLUDE THE POLICE ROLE IN HANDLING JUVENILES, THE PERSISTING PROMINENCE OF THE DETENTION FACILITY, JUVENILE PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS, AND PRIVACY AND RECORDKEEPING IN JUVENILE JUSTICE. THE PROBLEMS OF JUSTICE FOR THE NONDELINQUENT CHILD ARE DISCUSSED IN THE THIRD SECTION, AND THE FINAL PART CONTAINS COMPARATIVE AND HISTORICAL DISCUSSIONS OF THE AIMS OF JUVENILE JUSTICE. AS AN EXAMINATION OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS OF THE JUVENILES COURT, THE TEXT IS INTENDED TO AID LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, LAWYERS, JUDGES, SOCIOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND ALL OTHERS CONCERNED WITH THE STATE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)