Juvenile delinquency, also known as "
juvenile offending", is participation in illegal behavior by
minors (juveniles, i.e. individuals younger than the
statutory age of majority). Most
legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as
juvenile detention centers, and
courts. A
juvenile delinquent in the United States is a person who is typically under the age of 17 and commits an act that otherwise would have been charged as a crime if they were an adult. Depending on the type and severity of the offense committed, it is possible for people under 18 to be charged and treated as adults.