A controlled study of the impact of a juvenile education program on the recidivism rates of juveniles was performed. The program involved introducing the juveniles to the realities of prison life. No significant differences between experimental and control groups in the mean number of self-reported status or criminal offenses committed during the premeasure or follow-up period was found. A finding that youths categorized as more delinquent were affected differently by program attendance compared to youths categorized as less delinquent is offered as a tentative explanation of the conflicting results of prior studies of this type of intervention.Although the adult criminal justice system has been charged with protecting society, implementing the processes of punishment and retribution, and the rehabilitation of convicted offenders, the task of the juvenile justice system in this country is more circumscribed. According to Romig (1978: xxii), the juvenile system &dquo;is clear in its authorized mission-to rehabilitate,&dquo; that is, to divert the young offender from further delinquent activity and subsequent adult criminal behavior.The ability to evaluate accurately the effects of rehabilitative efforts is essential both because of budgetary considerations and because of the potential problems associated with intervening in young lives. Unfortunately, of the 982 studies published since 1920 that were reviewed by Romig, only 170 met the essential requirements of either random or