{"id":352425,"date":"2023-08-21T10:28:34","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T15:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/criminal\/juvenile-justice\/juvenile-delinquents.html"},"modified":"2025-02-10T11:28:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T16:28:00","slug":"juvenile-delinquents","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/juvenile-justice\/juvenile-delinquents.html","title":{"rendered":"What Are Juvenile Delinquents?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Are Juvenile Delinquents?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Lyle Therese A. Hilotin-Lee, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Rhonda Earhart, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Juvenile delinquents are minors, typically under 18 years old, who engage in behavior that violates the law. This term specifically applies to minors who are processed through the juvenile justice system. Delinquent acts include both criminal law violations and status offenses.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

Once a child enters the criminal justice system<\/a>, they may be deemed a "juvenile delinquent." This term can have lasting implications, so it’s important to understand the factors that lead to this designation. <\/p>\n

If you or your minor child is facing juvenile delinquency charges, it’s crucial to understand your legal options. Contact a criminal law attorney<\/a> in your area to protect your child’s rights and future.<\/p>\n

This article discusses delinquent acts. Find examples, potential consequences, and ways to detect and prevent juvenile delinquency.<\/p>\n

What Are Delinquent Acts?<\/h2>\n

Offenses committed by juveniles aren’t called "crimes" as they are for adults. Instead, the term for criminal offenses<\/a> that minors commit is "delinquent acts." Delinquent acts generally fall into two categories.<\/p>\n

Criminal Law Violations<\/h3>\n

The first type of delinquent act includes actions that, if committed by an adult, would be a crime. Some of these offenses, such as felony charges or drug offenses, may lead the minor to be tried as an adult<\/a>. These offenses also vary depending on state law.<\/p>\n

Age-Related Violations<\/h3>\n

The second type of delinquent act wouldn’t usually be a crime had an adult performed it. These acts are "status" offenses<\/a>, which are only considered offenses because of the person’s age. Staying out past curfew and possessing or consuming alcohol<\/a> are examples of status offenses.<\/p>\n

The category also includes frequent failure to attend school, otherwise known as truancy<\/a>. The minimum age at which jurisdictions can charge children with truancy varies. It’s often as young as 10 years old.<\/p>\n

Minors can also face civil charges of Child in Need of Services or Child in Need of Supervision (CHINS). A juvenile’s parents or guardian<\/a> can file a CHINS case. The school social worker often files truancy charges. Court process formalities may vary based on the local jurisdiction, venue, and court.<\/p>\n

Juvenile Court vs. Adult Criminal Court<\/h2>\n

Juvenile justice system proceedings differ from adult proceedings<\/a> in many ways. Minors follow a slightly different court process.<\/p>\n

Instead of a trial, the juvenile has an adjudication<\/a>, or adjudicatory hearing. The child appears before a juvenile court judge. They receive disposition, or a sentence, if they are found "guilty" or "not innocent."<\/p>\n

Minors may be held pending trial in a juvenile detention facility. They can schedule a detention hearing to seek pretrial release<\/a>. An adult seeking pretrial release would request a bond hearing instead.<\/p>\n

A detention hearing or pretrial hearing is often a minor’s first appearance in juvenile court<\/a>. Adults appear for an arraignment <\/a>in the adult criminal court.<\/p>\n

When Are Minors Tried as Adults?<\/h3>\n

Various factors often influence this decision. The courts will decide whether to try the minor in adult court or the juvenile court system<\/a>. Minor offenders in both juvenile court and adult court can benefit greatly from expert legal representation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These factors include the severity of the crime committed. Delinquent acts range from misdemeanors to serious crimes \u2014 even first-degree murder<\/a>. A serious offense is more likely to be tried in adult court. The court also looks at a minor’s criminal record and may consider other circumstances surrounding the juvenile’s actions.<\/p>\n

Someone under 18 might also be emancipated<\/a>. This means they are legally considered an adult. Since they get the rights and benefits of adulthood<\/a>, they also face consequences as adults.<\/p>\n

Law enforcement officers will then assess whether to place the minor in jail or a juvenile facility. Whenever juveniles are held in adult prisons, they must be separated from adults in most cases. Even if a minor is tried as an adult, they can\u2019t receive the death penalty<\/a>, according to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n

Juvenile Delinquency: Early Detection and Intervention<\/h2>\n

Juvenile delinquency is more than just mischievous pranks like doorbell ditching. Some of these offenses are serious, including:<\/p>\n