Criminal Justice Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Criminal Justice Test with our study materials. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question comes with hints and explanations. Ace your exam confidently!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which of the following terms is defined as an act that is illegal for a juvenile but would not be a crime if committed by an adult?

A hate crime
A bias crime
An index offense
A status offense

The correct answer is: A status offense

The term that refers to an act that is illegal for a juvenile but would not be considered a crime if committed by an adult is a status offense. Status offenses are specific actions that are only deemed unlawful due to the age of the person committing them. For instance, behaviors like truancy (skipping school), running away from home, or underage drinking are examples of status offenses. These actions are not illegal for adults; hence, they reflect the legal framework that differentiates juveniles from adults in the eyes of the law. In contrast, the other terms listed, such as hate crimes, bias crimes, and index offenses, pertain to actions that are classified as crimes regardless of the age of the perpetrator. Hate crimes are motivated by bias against a particular group, bias crimes involve prejudice, and index offenses refer to serious crimes like murder or robbery that are often used to track crime rates. Hence, they do not fit the definition of being exclusive to juveniles.