IN RECENT YEARS YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS HAVE PROLIFERATED, MAINLY AS A RESULT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S EXPANDED ROLE IN THIS AREA. THE PROGRAMS ARE OF TWO BASIC TYPES--(1) VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS WHICH PREPARE THE YOUTH FOR EMPLOYMENT BY EQUIPPING HIM WITH A PARTICULAR SKILL AND PROPER WORK HABITS AND (2) UPWARD MOBILITY PROGRAMS WHICH CONCENTRATE ON JOB AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND TRY TO UPGRADE THE DISADVANTAGED YOUTH BY OFFERING HIM VARIOUS SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES. THE JOB CORPS EMPHASIZES PLACEMENT RATHER THAN THE CREATION OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WHILE THE NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH CORPS IS NOW MOVING AWAY FROM A PRIMARY CONCERN WITH SHORT-TERM EMPLOYMENT TO AN INTEREST IN TRAINING AND REMEDIATION FOR THE YOUTH. EVALUATIONS OF THE OUTCOMES OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS ARE UNSATISFACTORY BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY IN COLLECTING DATA, BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS WHETHER THESE PROGRAMS, EVEN PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED, CAN ALLEVIATE YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT. IN FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IS A FUNCTION OF THE AVAILABILITY OF JOBS, AND IN CONCENTRATING ON JOB TRAINING, THESE PROGRAMS DEAL WITH THE SYMPTOMS OF JOBLESSNESS RATHER THAN ITS CAUSES. TO RELIEVE THE CAUSES THESE YOUTH SHOULD BE OFFERED GREATER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH NEW JOBS OR THE RESTRUCTURING OF EXISTING ONES. A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT FOLLOWS THE DISCUSSION. THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE "IRCD BULLETIN," VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1, JANUARY 1966. (EF)