juvenile delinquency
noun
1
: conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action
2
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment
juvenile delinquent
noun
Examples of juvenile delinquency in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Participants in the Tarrant County program are referred by probation officers or district court judges who handle child welfare and juvenile delinquency cases.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2024
Second, the overall processing of juvenile delinquency cases (i.e. review of allegations, filing of petitions, detention policies, waiver, adjudication, disposition, and placement) often lack consistency and should be reviewed for improvement.
—Alexander Williams Jr., Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2024
So that movie, the Warriors, had the direct and unambiguous effect of increasing juvenile delinquency?
—Matt Thompson, Spin, 26 Sep. 2023
Arizona’s and Wisconsin’s self-disclosure forms, which USA TODAY reviewed, ask about criminal convictions and school discipline but not lawsuits or juvenile delinquency proceedings.
—Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 13 July 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1816, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of juvenile delinquency was
in 1816
Dictionary Entries Near juvenile delinquency
Cite this Entry
“Juvenile delinquency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/juvenile%20delinquency. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
juvenile delinquency
noun
: violation of the law (as stealing) or antisocial behavior (as playing hooky from school) by a young person
Medical Definition
juvenile delinquency
noun1
: conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is subject to legal action
2
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile that would have been a crime if committed by an adult
Legal Definition
juvenile delinquency
noun
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile that would have been a crime if committed by an adult
also
: antisocial behavior by juveniles that is subject to legal action
More from Merriam-Webster on juvenile delinquency
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about juvenile delinquency
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