Do social-control agencies base decisions concerning the hand ling of offenders upon sex, ethnic background, and socio economic status? This study, utilizing a universe of juvenile offenses (N=9,023) in a single community during a five-year period, tests long-accepted hypotheses relating each of these variables to the severity of disposition accorded juvenile offen ders by (1) the police, (2) the probation department, and (3) the juvenile court. Each hypothesis was rejected at each stage of the process. The findings indicate the need for greater caution in assessing the functions of control agencies and for further inten sive research to explicate the complex factors involved.