A child who is accused, adjudicated, or convicted for conduct that would not be a crime under state law if committed by an adult is a(n):

• A. Status offender
• B. Delinquent
• C. Juvenile offender
• D. Young offender

Answer: (A)

Status offenses are acts that are only offenses because of the juvenile’s status. When a child is accused, adjudicated, or convicted for conduct that would not be a crime if an adult did it, that child is considered a status offender. Examples include truancy, running away, or curfew violations, which are addressed under the juvenile system with supervision or services rather than adult criminal punishment.

Delinquent and juvenile offender are broader terms that apply to acts that would be crimes if committed by an adult, so they describe different kinds of juvenile conduct. The term young offender isn’t the standard label used here in most jurisdictions.