The accelerating growth of restitution as an institutionalized program in juvenile courts throughout the country is documented. According to studies, the number of formal restitution programs has increased from approximately 15 in 1977 to more than 400 in 1989. Program components include financial restitution, community service, victim-offender mediation, victim services, job information services, work crews, transportation, job slots in the private sector, and subsidies. Many existing programs are increasing their services by, for example, instituting new components such as paid work crews and supervised meetings between victims and offenders. The Restitution Education, Specialized Training, and Technical Assistance (RESTTA) program has contributed to this growth, providing training and technical assistance to representatives of about 1,000 juvenile courts since 1984. Findings from the national evaluation of the major initiative on juvenile restitution operated by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) from 1978 through 1982 indicated that restitution is effective not only as a means of compensating victims but also in reducing recidivism. Indications are that the use of restitution will continue to grow. As courts move steadily from a treatment-based orientation to one focused more on offender accountability, restitution will increasingly occupy a more central place in the dispositional process. (16 references) (Author/CML)