This report suggests that the work to design a new youth justice system should start before states actually begin to abolish the legal concept of delinquency. It proposes that lawmakers consider building a new youth justice system by drawing upon the many court alternatives already in place across the country. The discussion includes a review of the historical context of juvenile courts in the United States, analyzes recent trends in the search for more effective juvenile justice policies, and presents a number of alternative court models that could provide a foundation for a new system of youth justice.