J
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Juvenile delinquency refers to the violation of a crimi-
nal law by a juvenile. In most states a juvenile is any-
one under age eighteen, but in some states a person
is considered an adult at age sixteen or seventeen. If
a juvenile has committed an act that would be a crime
if committed by an adult, then the juvenile has com-
mitted juvenile delinquency. Moreover, juvenile de-
linquency includes acts that are legal for adults. These
acts are called status offenses because they are illegal
only for people with the status of being a juvenile.
Whereas crimes consist of such acts as murder and
rape (which are illegal for both juveniles and adults),
examples of status offenses are running away from
home and truancy (which are illegal only for juve-
niles). Juvenile courts, as opposed to criminal courts,
generally have jurisdiction over the crimes and status
offenses committed by juveniles.See also: ADOLESCENCE; VIOLENCEBibliography
Empey, LaMar T., Mark C. Stafford, and Carter H. Hay. American
Delinquency: Its Meaning and Construction. Belmont, CA: Wads-
worth, 1999.
Jensen, Gary F., and Dean G. Rojek. Delinquency and Youth Crime.
Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1998.Mark C. Stafford221