The author reports on three studies, conducted jointly by the Alcoholism Clinic of Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, the Massachusetts Youth Service Board, and the Massachusetts Divi sion of Alcoholism, which attempt to (1) provide basic statis tical data on the use, nonuse, or misuse of alcohol among a representative group of delinquents, (2) categorize the group according to their use or nonuse of alcohol, (3) measure some significant aspects of their experiments with alcohol, and (4) look more intensively into the meaning of their drinking ex periences by considering personality characteristics and family backgrounds.