juvenile delinquency

noun

1. behavior of a child or youth that is so marked by violation of law, persistent mischievousness, antisocial behavior, disobedience, or intractability as to thwart correction by parents and to constitute a matter for action by the juvenile courts.

juvenile delinquency

noun

1. antisocial or criminal conduct by juvenile delinquents

Word History and Origins

Origin of juvenile delinquency¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

EC’s original subversive content brought it to the attention of the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency in 1954 and its hearings on whether comics were linked to moral decay.

From New York Times

Ronald Searle is now best known for his creation St Trinian's - a comic strip revolving around the mayhem and juvenile delinquency of a girls' school.

From BBC

Omékongo Dibinga, a professor of intercultural communication affiliated with the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, said the findings confirm patterns of race, poverty and juvenile delinquency in urban areas dating back to World War II.

From Washington Times

The rule makes clear that expunged convictions, juvenile delinquency adjudications and convictions under state laws for immigration-related offenses don’t disqualify a person from DACA.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead, the French government points to underprivilege in low-income urban neighbourhoods and juvenile delinquency, a reflection of the state’s belief that citizens are united under a single French identity, regardless of race or ethnicity.

From Reuters