Definition of Juvenile Delinquency, Status Offenses, Abuse, and Developmental Stages (From Juvenile Justice System: Law and Process, Second Edition, P 73-104, 2002, Mary J. Clement -- See NCJ–200505)

• NCJ Number: 200507
• Author(s): Mary J. Clement Ph.D.
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 32 pages
• Sale Source: Butterworth-Heinemann
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Instructional Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter defines delinquency, status offenses, abuse, and other non-criminal behavior and details the formal and informal procedures used with status offenders

Abstract

After presenting the legal definition of delinquents as individuals who have committed acts for which he or she could be arrested if he or she were an adult, the author describes the process of dividing juvenile behavior into either criminal/delinquency or non-criminal behaviors. Following a “brain exercise” intended to test the reader’s comprehension of delinquent behavior issues, the author defines status offenses as acts committed by juveniles that are violations of the law only because they are committed by juveniles. Focusing on abused and neglected children, the author describes prenatal abuse, dependency, and ritualistic abuse. Turning to a discussion of juvenile delinquency causation, the author argues that some abused children may eventually become delinquents, while some delinquents may frustrate their parents to the point of eventually becoming abused children. Addressing other, non-criminal behavior, the author explains that juvenile court judges have the jurisdiction to hear cases dealing with non-criminal behaviors as well as delinquency issues. A discussion of the developmental stages of children highlighting psychosocial theory, lack of mastery, child witnesses, placing children outside the home, critical guidelines, and child development-community policing is also included.