PREDICTORS OF JUVENILE-COURT ACTIONS AND RECIDIVISM

Variables related to court decision making and recidivism over a two-y ear follow-up were studied in a group of 475 first-lime referrals to a juvenile court Recidivism was associated with extralegal factors more consistently than were court actions except on the age variable. Cour t actions were more strongly related to legally relevant factors and, like the referral offense variable, failed to predict recidivism. The court's extensive and repeated reliance on diversion (vs. formal petit ioning of cases) did not generate high recidivism levels, implying a n eed to reconsider the recent ''get tough'' orientation of juvenile jus tice policy.