The strength-based approach is an organizing principle for a family of theories and practice strategies that encourage helping professionals to seek out clients' abilities, resources, and gifts and apply them to current life challenges. Despite its successful use in many human service sectors, this approach has not been embraced in the juvenile justice system, where punitive sanctions have escalated while focus has been lost on the restorative and redemptive vision of the court's strength-based founders. This article explores the strength-based approach, positing its great potential to improve outcomes for juvenile justice clients. These improved outcomes are the result of the strength-based philosophy in action: viewing youth as being capable of change, finding and focusing on their assets and areas of resiliency, and facilitating the cultivation of prosocial and drug-free identities. Ideological, organizational, and political barriers are discussed, and suggestions offered for incorporating the strength-based approach into real world juvenile justice settings.