DELINQUENCY SHOULD BE DISTINGUISHED FROM "SILLY PRANKS" AND JUVENILE CRIMES. COMMONSENSE THEORIES DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE ANALYSIS OF DELINQUENT CHILDREN. NEITHER THE SEVERITY OF A YOUTH'S OFFENSE NOR HIS BEHAVIOR WHEN CAPTURED, PUNISHED, OR CORRECTED IS A SAFE SIGN OF THE SEVERITY OF THE DELINQUENT PROBLEM INVOLVED. EARLY DETECTION OF DELINQUENCY IS A GOOD METHOD BUT NEARLY ALWAYS IMPOSSIBLE. WISE HANDLING OF INCIDENTS AS THEY HAPPEN IS THE BEST SOLUTION. IF A CHILD IS INVOLVED IN SOMETHING OR IF HE DEVELOPS A PECULIAR ATTITUDE TOWARD SCHOOL, WORK OR AUTHORITY, PARENTS SHOULD BE THANKFUL THAT THIS PRESSURE IN THE CHILD HAS SHOWN SOME EXPRESSION. PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE ASHAMED OF DELINQUENT TROUBLES IN THEIR HOMES FOR DELINQUENCIES OCCUR AT ALL LEVELS OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC STRATA. WORKING WITH THE HEALTHY ASPECTS OF THE CHILD WILL AID IN HEALING THE UNHEALTHY PARTS OF THE CHILD. IF A SYMPTOM DISAPPEARS TOO MIRACULOUSLY, SOMETHING IS WRONG AND ADVICE SHOULD BE SOUGHT. PROGRESS SHOULD BE SLOW WITH EXPECTED CYCLES OF REGRESSION.