What is juvenile crime?

Juvenile crime is one of the nation's serious problems. Concern about it is widely shared by federal, state, and local government officials and by the public. In recent years, this concern has grown with the dramatic rise in juvenile violence that began in the mid-1980s and peaked in the early 1990s. read more

A juvenile delinquent in the United States is a person who is typically below 18 (17 in New York, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Texas) years of age and commits an act that otherwise would have been charged as a crime if they were an adult. read more

Juvenile Crime Most children have a mischievous streak, but sometimes it goes too far and crosses the line into criminal behavior. Since children don't belong in a penitentiary with adults, and since minors generally have a greater chance of rehabilitation, there are special rules and procedures to handle juvenile crime. read more