A CLUSTER OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES WAS SOUGHT WHICH WAS COMMON TO A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE YOUTH AT THE LORTON YOUTH CENTER OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. THESE EXPERIENCES WERE POSTULATED AS CAUSAL FACTORS IN DROPOUTS, DELINQUENCY, AND EVENTUAL INCARCERATION. DATA PRETAINING TO EDUCATIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL-RELATED EXPERIENCES WERE GATHERED FROM CASE HISTORIES, EDUCATIONAL INTERVIEW SHEETS, AND TWO QUESTIONNAIRES. FROM AN ANALYSIS OF THE DATA THE ELEMENTS WHICH COMPRISE THE TYPES OF SYNDROMES DESCRIBED ABOVE WERE POVERTY, SOCIAL ALIENATION, POOR SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT, TRUANCY, RETARDATION, ESSENTIALLY NORMAL INTELLIGENCE, POOR READING SKILLS, LANGUAGE DEFICIENCIES, EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING, MOBILITY, EARLY CONTACT WITH THE JUVENILE COURT, FREQUENT JUVENILE OFFENSES, COMMITMENT TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS, AND MATRIARCHIAL FAMILIES. RELATED RESEARCH IS IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH THESE FINDINGS. IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL ACTION ARE--PRESCHOOL EDUCATION, ADAPTED CURRICULUM MATERIALS, PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING, AND UNDERSTANDING OF SLUM CULTURE, AND INSERVICE TRAINING. A CHECK LIST ADMINISTERED AT GRADE 6 COULD AID IN IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL DROPOUTS SO THAT THESE CHILDREN COULD BE MORE INTENSIVELY GUIDED AND COUNSELED.