juvenile delinquency

noun

Updated on: 20 May 2018

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

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juvenile delinquent

noun

See juvenile delinquency defined for kids

Recent Examples of juvenile delinquency from the Web

Most probably don’t know that Simpson’s teenage years were full of (to be charitable) juvenile delinquency.

— heidi stevens, chicagotribune.com, "Why the Waffle House shooting should get us talking about white privilege," 24 Apr. 2018
In baroque prose, Coover subtly criticizes the zeitgeist, loose morals, juvenile delinquency and parental negligence.

— yu-yun hsieh, New York Times, "Familiar Tales Remixed, at the Hands of a Postmodern Master," 27 Apr. 2018
All historical references are carefully elucidated in the same teacherly tone, from the House Un-American Activities Committee to the Senate hearings on juvenile delinquency to the development of photocopies and pesticides.

— ron charles, chicagotribune.com, "Jake Tapper's new thriller blows the lid off corruption in Washington," 24 Apr. 2018
Patrice Stevenson was booked into Orleans Justice Center jail Tuesday (April 10) with battery and contributing to juvenile delinquency, online court records show.

— marie simoneaux, NOLA.com, "Woman accused of stabbing 17-year-old in the Milan area last month: NOPD," 13 Apr. 2018
They're appointed by judges for people who can't afford to hire attorneys — mostly in criminal defense cases, but also for other matters like juvenile delinquencies and child protection cases.

— nathaniel herz, Anchorage Daily News, "Legal defenders for Alaska’s poor may have to start refusing new cases, says head," 2 Mar. 2018
She was charged with three counts of juvenile delinquency/intimidation, police said.

— emma kate fittes, Indianapolis Star, "A list of arrests over school violence threats in Indiana since Florida shooting," 22 Feb. 2018
Studies have shown that removal from the home is associated with higher rates of juvenile delinquency, teen pregnancy, criminal behavior, and mental and physical problems.

— naseem s. miller, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Opioid epidemic could be stressing foster-care system, study says," 10 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'juvenile delinquency.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of juvenile delinquency

1816

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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