A 50 PERCENT REDUCTION IN DELINQUENCY WAS NOTED AS A RESULT OF A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT KNOWN AS CHILD AND FAMILY PROTECTIVE SERVICES, WHEREBY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE HELPED BEFORE PROBLEMS OR OFFENSES ARE SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT COURT ACTION. PROGRAMS ARE ESTABLISHED JOINTLY BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE JUVENILE COURT. THE JUVENILE COURT FUNCTIONS AS A COMMUNITY AID IN LOCAL EFFORTS TO PREVENT NEGLECT AND DELINQUENCY. STAFF MEMBERS OF THE COURT ARE ASSIGNED TO ADVISE, ASSIST, AND DO PROTECTIVE CASEWORK. THE MAJOR CONCERN OF THE EFFORT IS THE ADEQUATE EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE CHILD IN HIS FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND NEIGHBORHOOD. SOURCES OF REFERRAL ARE PARENTS, SCHOOLS, POLICE, COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALS, JUVENILE COURT, AND SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES. ACCEPTANCE OF ASSISTANCE IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY. COMPUTATIONS ARE PRESENTED SHOWING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROTECTIVE SERVICES IN EACH COMMUNITY OF OAKLAND COUNTY, AND THE REDUCTION OF JUVENILE COURT CASES FOR THE YEARS PRIOR TO THE SERVICES AND FOR THE YEARS OF 1960 AND 1961. A TABULATION IS ALSO SHOWN ON THE PROTECTIVE SERVICES RENDERED IN 15 COMMUNITIES OF THE COUNTY AND CONSEQUENT REDUCTION OF TOTAL JUVENILE COURT CASES. THE NUMBER OF CASES COMING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COURT HAS DECLINED, WHILE MORE PROTECTIVE CASES WERE HANDLED IN THE COMMUNITIES WITHOUT COURT PROCESS.