§ 5031. Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, a “juvenile” is a person who has not attained his eighteenth birthday, or for the purpose of proceedings and disposition under this chapter for an alleged act of juvenile delinquency, a person who has not attained his twenty-first birthday, and “juvenile delinquency” is the violation of a law of the United States committed by a person prior to his eighteenth birthday which would have been a crime if committed by an adult or a violation by such a person of section 922(x).

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 857; Pub. L. 93–415, title V, § 501, Sept. 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1133; Pub. L. 103–322, title XI, § 110201(c)(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2012.)

Historical And Revision

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 921 (June 16, 1938, ch. 486, § 1, 52 Stat. 764).

The phrase “who has not attained his eighteenth birthday” was substituted for “seventeen years of age or under” as more clearly reflecting congressional intent and administrative construction. The necessity of a definite fixing of the age of the juvenile was emphasized by Hon. Arthur J. Tuttle, United States district judge, Detroit, Mich., in a letter to the Committee on Revision of the Laws dated June 24, 1944. Words “an offense against the” was changed to “the violation of a” without change of substance.

Minor change was made in translation of section references to “this chapter”.

Codification

Codification

Another section 501 of title V of Pub. L. 93–415, as added by Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title II, § 12222(a), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1894, is set out as a note under section 5601 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Another section 501 of title V of Pub. L. 93–415, as added by Pub. L. 102–586, § 5(a), Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5027, was set out as a note under section 5601 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to the general amendment of that title V by Pub. L. 107–273.

Amendments

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 inserted before period at end “or a violation by such a person of section 922(x)”.

1974—Pub. L. 93–415 amended section generally, inserting “or for the purpose of proceedings and disposition under this chapter for an alleged act of juvenile delinquency, a person who has not attained his twenty-first birthday” after “eighteenth birthday,” and substituting “committed by a person prior to his eighteenth birthday which would have been a crime if committed by an adult”, for “committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment.”