This report contains the results of a 3-year study sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, whose purpose was to assess what has been happening to youth who commit status offenses (truants, runaways, incorrigibles), in the aftermath of the 1974 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The book reviews and evaluates public policies and programs in Arizona, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In addition, several residential facilities are compared. Results of research dealing with relevant federal programs, e.g., child welfare, medicaid, Title XX of the Social Security Act, and social services, are also reported along with a review of the Runaway Youth Act and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. The overall impact of federal efforts is assessed in detail. The first part of the book provides a historical overview while the second part presents the research data. The appendices contain the research design, assessment tools, case studies, and papers focusing on child placement, political issues associated with deinstitutionalization, and services for status offenders. (JAC)