NATIONWIDE CONCERN ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF INCREASING JUVENILE CRIME AND APPARENT INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM PROMPTED THE 1974 PASSAGE OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION ACT. MAJOR PROVISIONS INCLUDE THE SEPARATION OF JUVENILES BY SIGHT AND SOUND FROM ADULTS IN JAILS AND CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, EMPHASIS ON PREVENTION, AND COORDINATION OF PLANNING AND PROVIDING OF SERVICES WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, AS WELL AS PRIVATE AGENCIES. THE ACT WAS FOUNDED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT A POSITIVE AND PREVENTIVE RESPONSE TO A STATUS OFFENDER IS MORE APPROPRIATE THAN INCARCERATION; IT PROMOTES THE INTEGRATION OF THE OFFENDER BACK INTO THE FAMILY UNIT WITH COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES TO RELIEVE AND PREVENT THE YOUTH'S DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. LEGISLATION FOR IMPLEMENTING THE ACT IN ARIZONA IN 1977 WHEN A LAW WAS PASSED WHICH PROHIBITED THE COMMITMENT OF INCORRIGIBLE YOUTHS TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. SINCE 1979, 43 PROJECTS PROVIDING PREVENTION, DIVERSIONARY SERVICES, AND ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION HAVE BEEN FUNDED WITH THE ACT'S 'FORMULA' OR DESIGNATED FUNDS IN ARIZONA. IN ADDITION, CONSIDERABLE CHANGES HAVE TAKEN PLACE BY THE VARIOUS COUNTIES TO EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE ACT, SUCH AS THE RECRUITMENT OF ADDITIONAL FOSTER HOMES, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TEMPORARY ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION CENTERS, AND AN INCREASE IN CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES. AS A RESULT OF THE ACT'S IMPLEMENTATION, A REDUCTION OF 81 PERCENT OCCURRED IN THE NUMBER OF STATUS OFFENDERS CONTAINED IN COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS AND THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FROM 1975 TO 1978. IN ADDITION, THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF THE DETENTION PERIOD DECREASED. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ARIZONA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SPECIALIZED PREVENTION, DIVERSIONARY, AND TREATMENT SERVICES STRUCTURED BY THE ACT. TABULAR STATISTICAL DATA, FIGURES, AND AN APPENDIX ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT. (LWM)