A person who is under the age of 18 is known as which term?

A person who is under the age of 18 is known as which term?

• A. Juvenile
• B. Minor
• C. Adolescent
• D. Young Offender

Answer: (A)

In juvenile justice terminology, anyone under 18 is described as a juvenile. This term signals that the person falls under juvenile court jurisdiction and related procedures, rather than adult criminal processes. Minor is a broader label that simply means under 18 and is used in civil contexts; adolescent is a developmental description, not a formal status; young offender appears in some jurisdictions as a label for juveniles who commit offenses but isn’t the standard term across the system. Therefore, the term that most accurately identifies a person under 18 in the jail standards context is juvenile.

In juvenile justice terminology, anyone under 18 is described as a juvenile. This term signals that the person falls under juvenile court jurisdiction and related procedures, rather than adult criminal processes. Minor is a broader label that simply means under 18 and is used in civil contexts; adolescent is a developmental description, not a formal status; young offender appears in some jurisdictions as a label for juveniles who commit offenses but isn’t the standard term across the system. Therefore, the term that most accurately identifies a person under 18 in the jail standards context is juvenile.