Labeling, 2015

Spectrum of labels

Victim Child welfare perspective
Offender Public safety perspective
  • In need of aid, assistance, or care

  • In need of services

  • In need of supervision

  • Unruly

  • Status offender

In New Jersey, status offense cases are classified as a juvenile-family crisis and include running away from home, truancy, threats to the well-being and safety of a juvenile, a serious conflict between a parent or guardian, and a juvenile regarding rules of conduct which has been manifested by repeated disregard for lawful parental authority by a juvenile or misuse of lawful parental authority by a parent or guardian.

Age boundaries, 2016

  • Status offense jurisdiction

    Up through 17 years old

    No lower age specified

  • Delinquency jurisdiction

    Up through 17 years old

    No lower age specified

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In New Jersey, no lower age is specified for a juvenile who is a member of a family in a “juvenile-family crisis.” The highest age a child’s conduct can be considered a status offense is 17. Non-delinquent behavior, conduct, or conditions include: disregarding authority, running away, and truancy. Prostitution and human/trafficking victims are included in the definition. Some child-only violations and offense designations (such as disorderly and petty disorderly persons offenses) are labeled “delinquent, ” and most remaining child-only non-delinquent offenses and infractions (traffic, motor vehicle, smoking, boating, curfew) are under original municipal court jurisdiction. N.J.S.A. 2a:4a-22, 2a:4a-23

Reported data

About this project

Juvenile Justice GPS (Geography, Policy, Practice, Statistics) is a project to develop a repository providing state policy makers and system stakeholders with a clear understanding of the juvenile justice landscape in the states.

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