Which term describes offenses that apply only to juveniles and not to adults?

• A. Status offenses
• B. Juvenile Delinquent Acts
• C. Juvenile Only Offenses
• D. Youth Offender statutes

Answer: (C)

Status offenses are offenses that apply only to juveniles and not to adults. These include behaviors like truancy, running away, curfew violations, and underage drinking—acts that are not considered crimes for adults but are treated as offenses for youths. The purpose behind focusing on these offenses is to address behavior that arises from adolescence with rehabilitation and supervision rather than punishment, recognizing the different developmental needs of young people. Other terms offered don’t accurately describe this concept: the idea of juvenile delinquent acts refers to acts that would be crimes by youths, not offenses that only apply to juveniles, and the other phrases aren’t standard descriptors in juvenile law.