Juvenile Justice

The juvenile justice system is the structure of the criminal legal system which deals with crimes committed by minors, usually between the ages of 10 and 18 years. The upper age of eligibility is determined by the juvenile law of each state, which varies. A juvenile crime is any offense that could be committed by an adult but that is committed by a juvenile. There are also “status offenses” that may only be committed by a juvenile, such as curfew violations, running away, truancy, and underage alcohol consumption. In the juvenile justice system, youth offenders are not tried as adults, and their cases are heard in a separate court (in most cases) designed for juveniles.

Juvenile justice is the area of criminal law applicable to persons not old enough to be held responsible for criminal acts, In most states, juvenile justice law is applicable to those under 18 years of age.